House Passes Historic DC Statehood Bill

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FRED WERTHEIMER’S WEEKLY NOTE | April 22, 2021

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“The For the People Act (H.R. 1/S. 1) should become law by July 4, 2021 to repair and revitalize our democracy which began with the nation’s origin on July 4, 1776.”

H.R. 51, legislation to establish Washington, D.C. as the 51st state and finally provide its citizens with representation to go with their existing federal taxation, passed the House today. The bill is now headed to the Senate, where gaining support from a few more Senate Democrats is still necessary.

S. 1, the Senate’s companion measure to H.R. 1, the For the People Act, is scheduled to be marked up on May 11 in the Senate Rules Committee. It is then expected to head to the Senate floor for a showdown battle in the following weeks.

H.R. 4, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, is in the hearings stage in the House and Senate to build the strong record necessary to ensure it is not declared unconstitutional by the Supreme Court, which struck down its predecessor section of the Voting Rights Act in Shelby County v. Holder (2013). The Voting Rights Advancement Act is expected to be considered in Committee and by the House and Senate later this year.

The most immediate action ahead will be Senate consideration of S. 1.

This legislation addresses voter suppression efforts taking place around the country, Washington political corruption, partisan gerrymandering, government ethics abuses. election security, and foreign interference in US elections.

H.R. 1 has passed the House twice, including last month. S. 1 has 49 Senate sponsors. It is essential to pass this legislation in whole as the historic democracy reform package it is.

Arguments made by some to drop everything but the voting rights provisions make no policy or strategic sense. There is no basis to believe that dramatically cutting the bill will get the 10 Republican Senators needed to break a filibuster. In addition, the anti-corruption provisions in S. 1 are essential to combatting the influence-buying, unlimited contributions and secret dark money that are flooding Washington.

It is also important to recognize that while the Voting Rights Advancement Act is essential legislation, it would not deal with many of the voter suppression laws being pursued in the states. The For the People Act (H.R. 1/S. 1) will.

We need all three of these bills – the For the People Act, the John Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act, and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act – enacted.

The For the People Act (H.R. 1/S. 1) should become law by July 4, 2021 to repair and revitalize our democracy which began with the nation’s origin on July 4, 1776.

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