2021: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Granting Statehood To The District Of
Columbia, Which Would Grant Governmental Representation In Congress,
Allow Residents To Participate In Federal Elections, And Repeal The 23rd
Amendment Of The Constitution. In April 2021, Fitzpatrick voted
against the Washington, D.C. Admission Act of 2021 which would,
according to Congressional Quarterly, "provide for the establishment of
most of the current District of Columbia as the 51st state in the Union,
to be known as Washington, Douglass Commonwealth. It would require,
within 30 days of enactment, an election for two senators and one
representative for the state in Congress. It would then require the
president to issue a proclamation announcing the election results, at
which point the state would be admitted into the Union. The bill would
define the territory and boundaries of a revised District of Columbia,
which would remain under federal control -- including the White House,
Capitol building, Supreme Court, and federal office buildings located
adjacent to the National Mall and Capitol. All other territory of the
current district would be part of the new state. It would provide that
district executive, legislative and judicial officers at the time of
admission would serve in the respective offices of the state; the state
would be considered the legal successor to the district in continued
judicial proceedings; and the federal government would retain control of
lands currently held for defense or Coast Guard purposes. It would
prohibit federal law enforcement agencies from enforcing state laws
without state authorization. It would also allow residents of the new
federal district to vote in federal elections by absentee ballot in
their last state of residence and provide for the repeal of the 23rd
amendment to the Constitution, which granted District of Columbia
residents the right to vote in presidential elections." The vote was on
passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 216-208. The Senate did
not take substantive action on the bill. [House Vote 132,
4/22/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/22/21;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
51]
Statehood To D.C. "Would Shrink The Federal District To A Nearly
Two-Square Mile Federal Capital Enclave That Includes The National
Monuments" And All Other Federal Government Buildings, While The
Remaining Territory Would Become The 51st State Renamed Washington,
Douglass Commonwealth. According to Congressional Quarterly, "The
Constitution requires that the seat of the federal government remain
independent of any state. Today, that includes the entirety of D.C.,
but the measure would shrink the federal district to a nearly
two-square-mile federal capital enclave that includes the national
monuments, the Capitol, the White House, the Supreme Court and other
nearby federal office buildings. The remaining portion would be
admitted to the union as the 51st state named Washington, Douglass
Commonwealth, after abolitionist and D.C. resident Frederick
Douglass." [Congressional Quarterly,
4/14/21]
D.C. Mayor Would Become Washington, Douglass Commonwealth's
Governor, "The District's Council Would Become The Legislative
Assembly," And The State Would Have To Elect Two Senators And One
Congressional Representative. According to Congressional
Quarterly, "Under the bill, the mayor would become the governor, and
the District's council would become the legislative assembly. In
addition to the long-sought elections of two senators, it also would
authorize the election of a single representative." [Congressional
Quarterly,
4/14/21]
2021: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Washington, D.C.
Admission Act. In April 2021, according to Congressional Quarterly,
Fitzpatrick voted against the "adoption of the rule (H Res 330) that
would provide for House floor consideration of [...] the Washington,
D.C. Admission Act (HR 51). The rule would provide up to one hour of
general debate on each bill." The vote was on the adoption of the rule.
The House adopted the rule by a vote 214-207. [House Vote 124,
4/20/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/20/21;
Congressional Actions,
H.R.;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
330]
2021: Fitzpatrick Effectively Voted Against The Washington, D.C.
Admission Act. In April 2021, according to Congressional Quarterly,
Fitzpatrick voted against the "motion to order the previous question
(thus ending debate and possibility of amendment) on the rule (H Res
330) that would provide for House floor consideration of [...] the
Washington, D.C. Admission Act (HR 51). The rule would provide up to one
hour of general debate on each bill." The vote was on a motion to order
the previous question. The House agreed to the motion by a vote 216-206.
[House Vote 123,
4/20/21; Congressional
Quarterly, 4/20/21;
Congressional Actions,
H.R.;
Congressional Actions, H.Res.
330]
2020: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Establishing D.C. As A State. In
June 2020, Fitzpatrick voted against a bill that would, according to
Congressional Quarterly, "provide for the establishment of most of the
current District of Columbia as the 51st state in the Union, to be known
as Washington, Douglass Commonwealth. It would require, within 30 days
of enactment, an election for two senators and one representative for
the state in Congress. It would then require the president to issue a
proclamation announcing the election results, at which point the state
would be admitted into the Union. The bill would define the territory
and boundaries of a revised District of Columbia, which would remain
under federal control; the district would include the White House,
Capitol building, Supreme Court, and federal executive, legislative, and
judicial office buildings located adjacent to the National Mall and
Capitol. All other territory of the current district would be part of
the new state. Under the bill's provisions, district executive,
legislative and judicial officers at the time of admission would serve
in the respective offices of the state; the state would be considered
the legal successor to the district in continued judicial proceedings;
and the federal government would retain control of lands currently held
for defense or Coast Guard purposes. It would also provide for the
repeal of the 23rd amendment to the Constitution, which granted District
of Columbia residents the right to vote in presidential elections. It
would allow residents of the new federal district to vote in federal
elections by absentee ballot in their last state of residence" The vote
was on passage. The House passed the bill by a vote of 232-180. [House
Vote 122, 6/26/20;
Congressional Quarterly,
6/26/20; Congressional Actions,
H.R.51]
The Bill Established Washington, Douglass Commonwealth As The 51st
State With 2 Senators And A Voting Member In Congress. According
to the New York Times, "The legislation [...] would establish a
51st state---Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, named in honor of
Frederick Douglass---and allow it two senators and a voting
representative in the House. The National Mall, the White House,
Capitol Hill and some other federal property would remain under
congressional jurisdiction, with the rest of the land becoming a new
state." [New York Times,
6/26/20]
The Republican-Controlled Senate Refused To Take Up The Bill, And
The White House Opposed The Effort. According to the Washington
Post, "The White House confirmed Thursday that it opposes statehood,
and Senate Majority Leader Mitch Mcconnell (R-KY.) has said he will
not bring the legislation to a vote in his Republican-controlled
chamber." [Washington Post,
6/26/20]
D.C. Statehood Was A "Civil Rights Litmus Test" For Democrats
Given That 46 Percent Of D.C.'s Population Is Black. According to
the Washington Post, "D.C. statehood has become a civil rights
litmus test for the Democratic Party's left flank, particularly
because the city, once a majority-African American one --- and home
to historically black Howard University and a rich tradition of
black music from jazz to go-go --- still has a population that is 46
percent African American." [Washington Post,
6/26/20]
Republicans Argued That If Representation Was The Issue, D.C.
Should Be Absorbed Into Maryland. According to the New York Times,
"Republicans have long opposed the move to give congressional
representation to the District of Columbia, where more than
three-quarters of voters are registered Democrats [...]
Republicans in the Senate [...] have rejected the idea, arguing
that if representation for its citizens was the sole issue, the
District of Columbia should simply be absorbed into Maryland,
another heavily Democratic state." [New York Times,
6/26/20]
Republicans Opposed The Constitutional Merits And Whether D.C. Was
Economically Viable To Be A State. According to the New York
Times, "Opponents questioned the constitutional merits, arguing that
the founding fathers intentionally did not establish the nation's
capital as a state. Others questioned whether the District of
Columbia was geographically and economically viable to be a state."
[New York Times,
6/26/20]
The Recent Black Lives Matter Protests Highlighted Issues With
Congressional Control Over D.C. According to the New York Times,
"When the administration flooded the streets of Washington with
National Guard forces elsewhere and troops in riot gear during
protests over the death of George Floyd in police custody, Ms.
Bowser had few options this month because of how much Congress
maintains over the District of Columbia's finances and laws." [New
York Times,
6/26/20]
2019: Fitzpatrick Voted Against Supporting D.C. Statehood, As Part Of
A Larger Anti-Corruption And Democracy Reform Bill. In March 2019,
Fitzpatrick voted against The 'For The People Act.' According to Rep.
Eleanor Norton (D-DC), "The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes
Norton (D-DC) applauded the passage of H.R. 1, the For the People Act,
in the U.S. House of Representatives today, marking the first time in
American history either chamber of Congress has endorsed statehood for
the District of Columbia. H.R. 1, a pro-democracy bill that includes
numerous findings to expand democracy in the United States, contains
extensive findings supporting statehood for D.C. This achievement builds
on Norton's work to make D.C the 51st state and sets the stage for
consideration of H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act." The
overall was, also according to CBS News, "the most sweeping
anti-corruption measure passed by the House of Representatives in a
generation, by a vote of 234 to 193. The bill focuses on voting rights,
campaign finance, and government ethics." The vote was on passage. The
House passed the bill by a vote of 234 to 193. [House Vote 118,
3/8/19; Press Release
Eleanor Holmes Norton,
3/8/19;
CBS News,
3/8/19;
Congressional Actions, H.R.
1]