Washington, D.C. Admission Act

The Bill 118 s 51, also known as the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, is a piece of legislation that seeks to grant statehood to Washington, D.C. The bill was introduced in the Senate on January 4, 2021 by Senator Tom Carper.

If passed, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act would make Washington, D.C. the 51st state of the United States. The bill proposes to shrink the federal district to a small area encompassing the White House, Capitol, Supreme Court, and other federal buildings, while the rest of the district would become the new state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, named after abolitionist Frederick Douglass.

The bill outlines the process for admitting Washington, D.C. as a state, including the election of two Senators and one Representative to Congress. It also addresses the issue of federal payments to the new state, ensuring that the federal government will continue to provide financial support for certain functions currently handled by the district government. Supporters of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act argue that granting statehood to Washington, D.C. would provide equal representation for its residents, who currently lack voting representation in Congress. Opponents of the bill argue that the Constitution does not allow for the creation of a new state out of the federal district. The Washington, D.C. Admission Act has garnered support from many Democrats in Congress, but faces opposition from Republicans who argue that the bill is a partisan power grab. The bill is currently under consideration in the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.