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| D.C. statehood bill markup allows Republicans, Democrats to debate social issues | D.C. statehood bill markup allows Republicans, Democrats to debate social issues |
| (about 1 hour later) | |
| Republicans on Tuesday tried to change a D.C. statehood bill to wipe out gun laws in what would be a new federal enclave and punish any doctor in the proposed new state who fails to provide medical care to a child born alive after an attempted abortion. | Republicans on Tuesday tried to change a D.C. statehood bill to wipe out gun laws in what would be a new federal enclave and punish any doctor in the proposed new state who fails to provide medical care to a child born alive after an attempted abortion. |
| The amendments came during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform committee meeting to consider a bill that would make D.C. the 51st state. | The amendments came during a House Committee on Oversight and Reform committee meeting to consider a bill that would make D.C. the 51st state. |
| Final votes are set for later today, but Democrats who hold a majority of committee seats pushed back on more than a half dozen amendments offered by Republicans, who oppose D.C. statehood on ideological, fiscal and constitutional grounds. | Final votes are set for later today, but Democrats who hold a majority of committee seats pushed back on more than a half dozen amendments offered by Republicans, who oppose D.C. statehood on ideological, fiscal and constitutional grounds. |
| Democrats are expected to advance the bill to a vote on the House floor, with the support of House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the committee chair. | Democrats are expected to advance the bill to a vote on the House floor, with the support of House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (D-Md.) and Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-N.Y.), the committee chair. |
| The statehood bill, introduced by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), the District’s nonvoting representative in Congress, would shrink the seat of the federal government to a two-square-mile enclave, encompassing the White House, Capitol Hill, the Supreme Court and other federal buildings. | The statehood bill, introduced by Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), the District’s nonvoting representative in Congress, would shrink the seat of the federal government to a two-square-mile enclave, encompassing the White House, Capitol Hill, the Supreme Court and other federal buildings. |
| The rest of the District would become known as the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, after the famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who lived in Washington for the last part of his life. | The rest of the District would become known as the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, after the famed abolitionist Frederick Douglass, who lived in Washington for the last part of his life. |
| “The United States is a democracy, but its capital is not,” Maloney said Tuesday before the meeting. | “The United States is a democracy, but its capital is not,” Maloney said Tuesday before the meeting. |
| Even if the bill passes the majority-Democratic chamber, it almost certainly will go no further. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) has said he opposes statehood in part because the move would probably add two Democratic senators, strengthening their power in the narrowly divided chamber. | |
| Rep. Jim Jordan (Ohio), the top-ranked Republican on the Oversight Committee, said at the start of the marathon hearing that only a constitutional amendment, ratified by two third of states, can create a new state – not mere legislation. | Rep. Jim Jordan (Ohio), the top-ranked Republican on the Oversight Committee, said at the start of the marathon hearing that only a constitutional amendment, ratified by two third of states, can create a new state – not mere legislation. |
| Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) agreed. | Rep. Clay Higgins (R-La.) agreed. |
| “Our Constitution is clear,” Higgins said. “You want to form a 51st state, then knock yourself out. Follow the constitutionally mandated process to make that happen.” | “Our Constitution is clear,” Higgins said. “You want to form a 51st state, then knock yourself out. Follow the constitutionally mandated process to make that happen.” |
| Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a constitutional law professor and longtime statehood proponent, countered that after the 13 original colonies, the United States admitted 37 states by a simple act of Congress, which is what Democrats propose to make D.C. a state. | Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.), a constitutional law professor and longtime statehood proponent, countered that after the 13 original colonies, the United States admitted 37 states by a simple act of Congress, which is what Democrats propose to make D.C. a state. |
| Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wisc.) said D.C. should not be a state because it is “largely a government city with a little bit of tourism connected to the buildings around it,” eliciting laughter from the hometown crowd. | Rep. Glenn Grothman (R-Wisc.) said D.C. should not be a state because it is “largely a government city with a little bit of tourism connected to the buildings around it,” eliciting laughter from the hometown crowd. |
| In response, Raskin said all federal workers, civilian and military, deserve federal representation. He noted that 93 percent of federal workers live outside the District. | In response, Raskin said all federal workers, civilian and military, deserve federal representation. He noted that 93 percent of federal workers live outside the District. |
| Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.) offered an amendment based on the federal Born-Alive Survivors Protection Act, which she said was necessary after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D), a pediatric neurologist, made comments last year that Republicans interpreted to mean he favored infanticide. Democrats called the interpretation ridiculous. | Rep. Carol Miller (R-W.Va.) offered an amendment based on the federal Born-Alive Survivors Protection Act, which she said was necessary after Virginia Gov. Ralph Northam (D), a pediatric neurologist, made comments last year that Republicans interpreted to mean he favored infanticide. Democrats called the interpretation ridiculous. |
| Norton calls Miller’s proposal “unprecedented.” | Norton calls Miller’s proposal “unprecedented.” |
| “The gentlelady wants to legislate for the new state before it is a new state,” Norton said. “The whole point of this process is to give the new state the right to decide it’s own laws.” | “The gentlelady wants to legislate for the new state before it is a new state,” Norton said. “The whole point of this process is to give the new state the right to decide it’s own laws.” |
| Raskin called amendments about abortion and firearms an affront to D.C. residents’ right to self-determination. | Raskin called amendments about abortion and firearms an affront to D.C. residents’ right to self-determination. |
| “Please do not use their drive for statehood as an opportunity to finger paint and scrawl graffiti all over their state constitution with your pet political agendas,” he said. | “Please do not use their drive for statehood as an opportunity to finger paint and scrawl graffiti all over their state constitution with your pet political agendas,” he said. |
| Jordan said Miller’s amendments were about “fundamental liberties ... We’re talking about protecting the sanctity of human life… And, of course, that important second amendment.” | Jordan said Miller’s amendments were about “fundamental liberties ... We’re talking about protecting the sanctity of human life… And, of course, that important second amendment.” |
| Norton’s bill establishes a Statehood Transition Commission that would have up to two years to work out how and when the new state would disentangle itself from the federal government. The federal government pays an estimated $1.5 billion to $2 billion to fund Medicaid in the city and much of its criminal justice system, including the courts, prison services and supervision of offenders after their release. | Norton’s bill establishes a Statehood Transition Commission that would have up to two years to work out how and when the new state would disentangle itself from the federal government. The federal government pays an estimated $1.5 billion to $2 billion to fund Medicaid in the city and much of its criminal justice system, including the courts, prison services and supervision of offenders after their release. |
| Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) questioned why the proposed new state would include the Trump International Hotel, in the former Old Post Office building, but exclude the FBI headquarters. Both are in buildings owned by the General Services Administration. | Rep. Thomas Massie (R-Ky.) questioned why the proposed new state would include the Trump International Hotel, in the former Old Post Office building, but exclude the FBI headquarters. Both are in buildings owned by the General Services Administration. |
| He offered an amendment that would make all contiguous federally-owned buildings part of the in the federal enclave, not the new state. | He offered an amendment that would make all contiguous federally-owned buildings part of the in the federal enclave, not the new state. |
| “[Democrats] have been hating on the Trump International Hotel, and they say it’s not as profitable as promised,” Massie said in an interview Monday. “If it’s such a liability, why do they want it? Clearly they recognize good use of property when they see it.” | “[Democrats] have been hating on the Trump International Hotel, and they say it’s not as profitable as promised,” Massie said in an interview Monday. “If it’s such a liability, why do they want it? Clearly they recognize good use of property when they see it.” |
| All the amendments failed in a voice vote, but Republicans requested recorded votes, which will happen near the end of the meeting. | All the amendments failed in a voice vote, but Republicans requested recorded votes, which will happen near the end of the meeting. |
| A Gallup poll released in July found a clear majority of Americans — 64 percent — do not think the nation’s capital should attain statehood, compared with 29 percent who support the idea. | A Gallup poll released in July found a clear majority of Americans — 64 percent — do not think the nation’s capital should attain statehood, compared with 29 percent who support the idea. |
| An October Washington Post-University of Maryland poll found 51 percent of Maryland residents favor making the District a separate state, compared with 40 percent who are opposed. A full 57 percent opposed making the District a new county in their state, a plan called “retrocession,” the poll found. | An October Washington Post-University of Maryland poll found 51 percent of Maryland residents favor making the District a separate state, compared with 40 percent who are opposed. A full 57 percent opposed making the District a new county in their state, a plan called “retrocession,” the poll found. |
| Statehood opponents were handed a potent bit of ammunition last month when longtime D.C. Council member Jack Evans resigned before his colleagues could expel him from office over repeated ethics violations. (Evans is now running for his old seat.) | Statehood opponents were handed a potent bit of ammunition last month when longtime D.C. Council member Jack Evans resigned before his colleagues could expel him from office over repeated ethics violations. (Evans is now running for his old seat.) |
| “Fully understanding Evans’s disturbing ethical transgressions as the WMATA Board Chair and a D.C. Council member is a necessary precondition to the committee considering legislation related to D.C. statehood,” Jordan and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-S.C.) wrote in a letter to Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), the committee chair. | “Fully understanding Evans’s disturbing ethical transgressions as the WMATA Board Chair and a D.C. Council member is a necessary precondition to the committee considering legislation related to D.C. statehood,” Jordan and Rep. Mark Meadows (R-S.C.) wrote in a letter to Rep. Carolyn B. Maloney (D-N.Y.), the committee chair. |
| Democrats counter that every state can point to an elected official who has committed ethics violations. | Democrats counter that every state can point to an elected official who has committed ethics violations. |
| Last week, for example, an Arlington County Board member resigned from the Metro board after failing to repay a $10,000 campaign donation from Metro’s biggest labor union. | Last week, for example, an Arlington County Board member resigned from the Metro board after failing to repay a $10,000 campaign donation from Metro’s biggest labor union. |
| If perfect ethics were a challenge to statehood, “we would have zero states,” said Bo Shuff, who leads the statehood advocacy group D.C. Vote. | If perfect ethics were a challenge to statehood, “we would have zero states,” said Bo Shuff, who leads the statehood advocacy group D.C. Vote. |
| “The D.C. process worked,” he said. “There were accusations, [Evans’s] peers took actions they thought were responsible, and he resigned. Accountability is what matters.” | “The D.C. process worked,” he said. “There were accusations, [Evans’s] peers took actions they thought were responsible, and he resigned. Accountability is what matters.” |
| Scott Clement contributed to this report. | Scott Clement contributed to this report. |
| Jack Evans to run for D.C. Council after resigning seat amid ethics scandal | Jack Evans to run for D.C. Council after resigning seat amid ethics scandal |
| Guards at D.C. government buildings let guns past checkpoints, slept on the job, lawsuit says | Guards at D.C. government buildings let guns past checkpoints, slept on the job, lawsuit says |
| D.C. statehood: What to expect of the first House hearing on the issue in more than 25 years | D.C. statehood: What to expect of the first House hearing on the issue in more than 25 years |
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