September 19, 2019
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Attorney General Karl A. Racine released the following statement on today’s landmark Congressional hearing on making the District of Columbia the 51st state:
“I applaud Chairman Elijah E. Cummings and Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton for holding this morning’s landmark hearing on H.R. 51, a bill to make the District of Columbia the 51st State.
“More than 702,000 District residents live in the shadow of the Capitol Building. We pay taxes, enlist in the military, and serve our country in countless ways. Yet we are denied a real say in our nation’s affairs, and the full autonomy to pass laws that reflect our values.
“D.C. residents deserve to be treated as equal citizens—and today’s historic hearing reflects the nationwide surge in recognition of this injustice.
“I take every opportunity to advocate for this cause as Attorney General for the District of Columbia, and I am pleased that, so far, 20 of my fellow State Attorneys General now publicly support it.
“Our push for statehood will continue until H.R. 51 becomes law, giving District residents their right to representation, and moving America closer to its founding principle of one person, one vote.”
Content retrieved from: https://oag.dc.gov/release/ag-racine-statement-historic-dc-statehood-hearing.