house-of-representatives‘ quest to make washington-dc” target=”_blank”>Washington, D.C<
In a 50-50 split Senate, D.C. statehood already had a tough shot of becoming a reality because as long as the legislative filibuster is in place the proposal would require 60 votes to advance. Republicans have been squarely opposed to elevating the federal district to statehood status arguing it’s an unconstitutional powerplay by Democrats to add two more liberal senators to the upper chamber.
Sen. Joe Manchin, D-W.Va., adjusts his face mask as he arrives for votes on Biden administration nominees, at the Capitol in Washington, Tuesday, March 16, 2021. Manchin said he’s against D.C. Statehood passing unilaterally through Congress. (AP Photo/J. Scott Applewhite)
Manchin, a moderate member from a red state, has been outspoken in his opposition to eliminating the legislative filibuster too. His siding with Republicans on various issues has frustrated liberals who want to use the slim Democratic majority in the House and Senate to pass major priorities like federal voting rights legislation, police reform, D.C. statehood and raising the minimum wage to $15.
BIDEN WHITE HOUSE OFFICIALLY SUPPORTS MAKING DC THE 51ST STATE
The House earlier this month passed legislation to make washington-dc” rel=”noopener noreferrer” target=”_blank”>Washington, D.C<. The strictly party-line vote in the House was 216 to 208, with all Republicans rejecting the statehood bill, dubbed H.R. 51. The legislation has support from President Biden.
D.C.’s lone non-voting delegate in Congress, Eleanor Holmes Norton, has argued that the district should be no different than the 37 others states that Congress admitted to the union without a constitutional amendment. She put out a new statement on Friday, not mentioning Manchin by name, saying the 23rd Amendment does not need to be repealed before Congress grants statehood.
“Those who make such an assertion are conflating a policy choice and a constitutional requirement,” Norton said.
