Congresswoman Diana Harshbarger released the following statement regarding her vote against H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act.
“H.R. 51, the Democrats’ proposal for D.C. statehood, is unconstitutional, unworkable and is nothing more than another partisan power grab in disguise,” said Congresswoman Harshbarger. “There are other, more realistic proposals to grant full representation to citizens of D.C., such as retroceding most of the city to the state of Maryland, which would follow a precedent set in the 19th Century. However, this action would not give the Democrats two additional U.S. Senators to help them impose a radical agenda on the American people. The truth is that Pelosi and the Democrats don’t care about representation for the people of D.C.; they care about expanding their majority.”
Fast facts on H.R. 51:
- Absent a repeal of the 23rd Amendment, a constitutional amendment is required to make D.C. a state.
- In 1846, the Alexandria Retrocession gave land south of the Potomac River back to Virginia. This is a precedent for retroceding parts of the District of Columbia back to Maryland.
