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1 1 (June 29, 2020)

handle is hein.crs/govdqzy0001 and id is 1 raw text is: FF.w~C~l rES .rh$e Updated June 29, 2020 District of Columbia Statehood and Voting Representation On June 26, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives considered and passed the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, H.R. 51. This marked the first time in 27 years a District of Columbia (DC) statehood bill was considered on the floor of the House of Representatives, and the first time in the history of Congress a DC statehood bill was passed by either the House or the Senate. This In Focus discusses the political status of DC, identifies concerns regarding DC representation, describes selected issues in the statehood process, and outlines some recent DC statehood or voting representation bills. It does not provide legal or constitutional analysis on DC statehood or voting representation. It does not address territorial statehood issues. For information and analysis on these and other issues, please refer to the CRS products listed in the final section. Dstrict of Col umba When ratified in 1788, the U.S. Constitution called for the creation of a federal enclave to serve as the permanent seat of the new national government. The Constitution also granted Congress plenary legislative authority over that enclave. Concerns regarding a lack of federal representation for DC's residents emerged as early as 1801, shortly after DC became the formal seat of the federal government. Currently, DC is home to more than 700,000 residents who pay federal taxes like all state residents. Unlike in states, however, Congress exercises plenary authority in DC, and laws passed by the DC government are generally implemented only after a congressional review period. These limitations on local representative government raise concerns for some DC residents and some Members of Congress. The Constitution does not provide DC residents formal representation in Congress, which some argue limits their ability to influence federal policy regarding DC. DC participation in federal elections currently includes casting votes for presidential electors (under the Twenty- Third Amendment) and for one nonvoting delegate in the House of Representatives. DC does not have a formal representative in the Senate. The DC delegate, like other delegates, can introduce legislation and possesses the same powers as Representatives in House committees. However, delegates may not vote in, or preside over, the House. Although House rules for the 116' Congress allow delegates to vote in and preside over the Committee of the Whole, their votes may not be decisive in that forum. District of Columbiaz Voting Proponents for DC voting representations have sought to achieve their goals through a variety of options. Proposals have included full statehood or more limited methods of providing DC residents the ability to vote in congressional elections. Some Members of Congress have opposed these legislative efforts and recommended maintaining the status quo. Past legislative proposals have generally aligned with one of the following five options: 1. a constitutional amendment to give DC residents voting representation in Congress; 2. retrocession of the District of Columbia to Maryland; 3. semi-retrocession (i.e., allowing qualified DC residents to vote in Maryland in federal elections for the Maryland congressional delegation to the House and Senate); 4. statehood for the District of Columbia; and 5. a statutory provision for representation in the Congress (virtual statehood) or other statutory means for voting representation. The particular voting representation provided for in these models has varied in the manner and degree of proposed representation. Some bills introduced in Congress have sought to provide a limited level of voting representation, such as granting one Representative in the House. Other options, such as retrocession and semi-retrocession, sought to provide representation to DC residents through participation in Maryland's federal elections. Past proposals for statehood and other similar models, like virtual statehood, likely would have granted DC residents at least one Representative in the House, and in some cases, two Senators. Stathoodandthe Constitaution The Constitution gives Congress the authority to grant statehood and provides some limits on forming states out of existing states, but it does not outline conditions for achieving statehood or specify a process by which it occurs. In the past, several events have occurred prior to statehood admission. These events have typically included (1) a demonstration by the residents of the proposed state of a belief in the principles of republican government; (2) an expression of majority support for statehood among residents; and (3) establishment of capacity of the proposed state to pay its share of federal costs. Congress has granted statehood through a variety of legislative vehicles. The most common vehicle is for the House and Senate to pass a bill or joint resolution approving statehood, which is then signed by the President. '¾) V ~$.j .. ..~. ~ e~. 2½' mppm qq\ p\w gn'a', ggmm a 'S I 11LULANJILiN,

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