Will Washington, DC, Become The 51st US State?

The House of Reps approved Washington DC’s hard desire for fair participation with the existing fifty States, voted largely across political lines. The Biden White House also has endorsed the initiative, calling the town’s present situation “an assault on the democratic principles over which the Country was established.” Nevertheless, the process of creating Washington, D.C., 51st state, is very far from complete.

What is Washington, DC? 

• Washington, DC is a city, not a state, and the Districts of Columbia is abbreviated as DC. The town’s formation is based on the United States Constitution; it stipulates that it will “be becoming a Seat of the Govt of the US” if it is “not surpassing ten miles squared.”
• In 1790, Congress created the central district from property owned by the provinces of Maryland and Virginia to function as the country’s capital. According to the Constitution, the central district must be within the authority of the United States Congress.
• Washington, DC, serves as both a town and a municipality while operating as a state.
• And over 500 federal statutes approach us as if they were a state. So they want to make Washington, D.C. 51st state.
• They are the most powerful persons in a region with a population of four million and expanding. They run their education system, administer their SNAP and Medicare programs, and accept government block funds generally given to states, like workforce training funds, Community Engagement Blocks Awards for building, Ryan White HIV funds, and VAM Act awards.

Why Is Washington DC Not A State? 

After the United States gained independence from British domination in 1776, its founding fathers wanted the new country’s capital to be based on a federal district rather than a state. The region that resulted was titled after the adventurer Columbus, and the town was dedicated to George Washington, the very first President of the United States.

Several legislative measures have attempted to enlarge DC’s membership since its inception; however, these attempts gained traction during the Civil Liberties movement of the late 1950s. The 23rd Amendment to the United States Constitution was ratified in 1961, allowing D.C. citizens to elect the President in 1964. The town does have its own legislature and mayor since 1974. However, it remains under the direct control of the United States Congress. D.C. is represented in the House and Senate by a single member with no electoral power.

A constitutional proposal that might have granted DC many of the privileges of a proper state was defeated in 1985. The second failure occurred in 1993 when the House of Reps denied the town’s 600 thousand citizens statehood. Regardless of the obstacles, statehood maintains an extremely great desire amongst DC citizens. In a plebiscite in 2016, 85% of people endorsed the idea of the country becoming a state.

Advocates of statehood claim that DC citizens must pay central income tax, and they frequently invoke the American Revolution war motto “no taxes without reps” to emphasise their point. Nevertheless, millions of licence plates in the metropolis have had this phrase, notably on the automobiles of Presidents Bill Clinton, Barack Obama, and Joe Biden. Each of them has publicly supported the call for the 51st state in the United States.

Where do things stand now with DC’s path towards becoming the 51st State, and what would happen if the bill is passed? 

• The State of Washington DC Entrance Bill has already been submitted to the council and House of Representatives, with many co-sponsors from other states.
• The next stage is for the proposal to be passed and enacted into law. To do the same, it will take the backing of Americans in Washington, D.C., and around the nation, as well as a large percentage of the United States Congress and the President.
• The associated bills created the NCSA, a two-mile area encompassing federal structures like the White House, Senate, Judicial Branch, and National Mall. As the Constitution specifies, this will become the central government’s seat.
• The remainder of Washington, which includes the areas of the city wherein individuals normally reside, will become the 51st state, known as the “Douglass Commonwealth.” It could ensure the new state preserved its DC acronym while also paying honour to social activist and revolutionary Frederick Douglass. The sovereign state would have one member in the Assembly and 2 senators depending on its census.
• The new name of the governor will be given to Washington’s mayor. The DC would also serve as a legislative system for the state. Washington’s privileges will be equal to that of every other state. In case of emergencies, the governor will be able to call in the Military Police.

Conclusion

With the above information, it is clear that Washington DC is not a state. And there is already, a new bill has been passed to declare DC as a state. However, there are many political challenges to approving this request. If Washington DC is declared as a state, it will become a legislative body and get all the benefits that all the remaining 50 states are getting.