Mayor Bowser Proclaims July 15, 2020 ‘Officially End Taxation Without Representation Day’

(Washington, DC) – To mark today’s filing deadline for tax returns, Mayor Muriel Bowser proclaimed Wednesday, July 15, 2020, “Officially End Taxation Without Representation Day” in Washington, DC.

“The only way to permanently end the injustice of taxation without representation for 706,000 DC residents is through statehood,” said Mayor Bowser. “We call on the Senate to follow up the House’s historic passage of DC statehood and immediately schedule a floor vote on H.R. 51.”

The full proclamation is below.

WHEREAS, for more than 200 years, the residents of Washington, DC, have been denied full voting representation in Congress, which remains one the most overlooked civil rights issue of modern-day politics; and

WHEREAS, Washingtonians fulfill all responsibilities of American citizenship, including paying federal taxes, serving in the military, and have fought in all of the nation’s wars, including the Revolutionary War; and

WHEREAS, Washingtonians pay more in total federal income tax than 22 states and pay more federal taxes per capita than residents of any state; and

WHEREAS, Washington, DC’s lack of statehood was put on full display when the District was shortchanged $750 million in the CARES Act and when federal troops were deployed to local DC streets; and

WHEREAS, on June 26, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives passed H.R. 51, the Washington, DC Admission Act, to make Washington, Douglass Commonwealth the 51st state; and the U.S. Senate should schedule a floor vote on H.R. 51; and

WHEREAS, on this Federal Tax Day, we demand the official end of taxation without representation in the United States:

NOW, THEREFORE, I, THE MAYOR OF WASHINGTON, DC, do hereby proclaim July 15, 2020 in Washington, DC as “OFFICALLY END TAXATION WITHOUT REPRESENTATION DAY”.