DC statehood Senate hearing date set

History behind DC's push for statehood

On Monday, the U.S. House will hold a hearing on D.C. statehood, but there are still some lingering questions that remain: How did Washington, D.C. become the nation’s capital? Why is it still a District?

WASHINGTON - The case for D.C. statehood will go before the Senate next week.

The office of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton announced on Tuesday that the Senate Committee on Homeland Security and Government Affairs will conduct a hearing on D.C. statehood on June 22 at 10 a.m.

With a Republican majority place, Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell declined to consider the bill in 2020.

This year, with the backing of powerful Democrats, including President Joe Biden, supporters of statehood are more optimistic.

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Key Democratic Senators like West Virginia’s Joe Manchin, however, say they do not support statehood for the nation’s capital.

Norton says she remains optimistic.

"The Senate hearing shows that momentum continues to build for our D.C. statehood bill. D.C. statehood now has 54% support nationwide, according to the most recent detailed poll, and I expect that support to grow even more after the Senate hearing, as it has after the House hearings. As only the second Senate hearing ever on D.C. statehood, next week will be historic. Thank you to Chairman Peters for scheduling this hearing and to Senator Carper for his strong and fruitful leadership on D.C. statehood," she said.