Understand the big picture
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| Published: | 2016-May-08 |
| Last Updated: | 2017-Mar-07 |
| Principal Writer: | Barry Shatzman |
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Washington, D.C. Admission Act
2021 (HR-51)
Washington, D.C. Admission Act2017 (HR-1291)
New Columbia Admission Act2015 (HR-317)
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How have District residents been represented over time?
The Constitution authorizes Congress to specify a "seat of the government" and to maintain full control over running it. It limits the size of the region to a square of 10 miles on each side.
Here is a brief timeline of the representation given to District of Columbia residents...
1801: The District of Columbia Organic Act combined the city of Washington and adjoining neighborhoods into the District of Columbia, redefined how the district would be governed, and stripped D.C. residents of representation in Congress.
1961: D.C. residents were given the right to vote for president.
1973: Home Rule gave D.C. residents the right to govern themselves - though with oversight from Congress (in which they do not have any representation of their own).
1978: A constitutional amendment that would have given D.C. full congressional representation failed to be ratified by the states.
2012: The Washington, D.C. City Council passed the Local Budget Autonomy Amendment Act, which would allow the District to spend local tax money without requiring Congressional approval.
2017: The Washington, D.C. Admission Act has been submitted to create the 51st state that would known as Washington, Douglass Commonwealth (previous bills would have had the new state named New Columbia).
Advocacy and information organization
New Columbia Vision, an organization advocating statehood for the District of Columbia has created a website containing in-depth and up-to-date information.
You can visit the site at www.NewColumbiaVision.org
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