Mr. Speaker, D.C. residents have all the obligations of American citizenship, including paying Federal taxes, serving on juries, and registering with the Selective Service, yet Congress denies them full local self-government and voting representation in Congress. {time} 1440 The only solution to this undemocratic treatment is to grant D.C. statehood. I include in the Record a letter from leading constitutional scholars explaining why the D.C. statehood bill is constitutional. May 22, 2021. Re Washington, D.C. Admission Act, H.R. 51 and S. 51 (the "D.C. Admission Act"). Hon. Nancy P.
H.R. 51: Washington, D.C. Admission Act
Introduced Jan 3, 2025207 cosponsors
Sponsor
Eleanor Norton
Democrat · DC
Bill Progress
IntroducedJan 3
Committee
Pass House
Pass Senate
Signed
Law
Latest Action · Jan 3, 2025
1/3
Referred to Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. for review
D.C. residents deserve a vote in Congress
4 min readLast updated July 1, 2026
Why it matters
More than 700,000 people live in Washington, D.C. — a larger population than some states — yet they still have no voting Senators and no voting House member. H.R. 51 would change that by creating a new state with 2 Senators and 1 Representative while keeping a smaller federal capital under federal control.
H.R. 51 would admit most of present-day Washington, D.C. as a new state called the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth. The remaining federal capital would stay under federal control as a smaller enclave containing core federal buildings and land.
The bill is unusually specific about timing. Within 60 days of enactment, the President must certify that the law passed. Within 30 days after that, the Mayor must call the first election for 2 Senators and 1 House member. Within 90 days after the election results are certified, the President must formally announce them.
This is not just a representation bill. It is also a transition bill. Federal prosecutors, parole supervision, court funding, education aid, and D.C.'s Medicaid match would continue for a time so the new state does not have to replace everything overnight.
The bill also tries to handle the awkward parts of shrinking the federal district. Residents who remain inside the federal capital could vote in federal elections through the state of their most recent domicile, and Congress would use expedited procedures to consider repealing the 23rd Amendment, which currently gives the District electoral votes for president.
H.R. 51 Bill Summary
What H.R. 51 actually does.
1
D.C. gets 2 Senators and 1 House member
The bill would admit the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth to the Union and give it full congressional representation: 2 Senators and 1 Representative. The House would temporarily expand from 435 to 436 members until the next regular census-based apportionment.
2
Statehood moves on a fast clock
The President would have 60 days to certify enactment to the Mayor. Then the Mayor would have 30 days to call the first elections, and the President would have 90 days after receiving the results to issue a proclamation announcing them.
3
A smaller federal capital stays in place
Most of D.C. would become the new state, but a reduced federal capital would remain the seat of the U.S. government. The bill says the John A. Wilson Building would be outside the capital, while the Frances Perkins Building would remain inside it.
4
Courts, prosecutions, and parole keep running during the handoff
Federal criminal prosecutions, parole supervision, and court funding would continue until the new state certifies it has its own replacement systems. That is meant to avoid a break in public safety and court operations during the transition.
5
Education aid and Medicaid do not end overnight
The bill keeps D.C.-specific college aid programs, school scholarship support, and the District's Medicaid match in place until the new state certifies it can provide substantially similar support or absorb the funding change.
6
Some longtime D.C. workers keep federal benefit protections
D.C. employees hired before October 1, 1987 would keep federal retirement and civil service benefit protections. The bill preserves those obligations instead of cutting them off at statehood.
Who benefits from H.R. 51?
More than 700,000 D.C. residents
They would gain full voting representation in Congress through 2 Senators and 1 House member. For people who live under federal law now without voting members, that is the bill's central change.
Families relying on D.C. schools, college aid, and Medicaid
The bill keeps major support systems running during the transition instead of forcing the new state to replace them immediately. That includes college aid programs, school scholarship support, and the District's current Medicaid match.
Longtime D.C. government employees
Workers hired before October 1, 1987 would keep federal retirement and civil service protections. That matters to employees who built careers under the District's older personnel system.
People moving through D.C.'s courts and criminal justice system
Federal prosecutions, parole supervision, and court funding would continue until the new state certifies it can take over. The goal is continuity, not an abrupt switch.
Who is affected by H.R. 51?
Residents inside the remaining federal capital
They would live in the smaller federal enclave rather than the new state. For federal elections, the bill says they could vote in the state of their most recent domicile.
Congress
The House would temporarily grow to 436 members, and the Senate would eventually include 2 members from the new state if the bill took effect. Congress would also be asked to fast-track consideration of a constitutional amendment to repeal the 23rd Amendment.
Federal agencies operating in the capital area
Agencies and federal police forces would have to adjust to a new line between state authority and federal authority. The bill changes which territory is federal and which is under the new state's control.
D.C. and state-level officials running the transition
The President, Mayor, transition commission, courts, and agency leaders would all face a compressed implementation schedule. Elections, certifications, boundary work, and service transfers would start almost immediately after enactment.
On the Record
What Congress Is Saying
25 legislators have weighed in on H.R. 51 — 10 Democrats, 15 Republicans.
The D.C. statehood bill, H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, grants D.C. residents full local self-government and voting representation in Congress. H.R. 51 reduces the size of the Federal District from 68 square miles to 2 square miles, consisting of the White House, the Capitol, the Supreme Court, The National Mall and remaining under the control of Congress. The new State consists of the residential and commercial areas of D.C. The new State has a larger population than two States, pays more Federal taxes per capita than any State, and pays more total Federal taxes than 21 States.
Mr. Speaker, I reserve the balance of my time. Mr. GARCIA of California. Mr. Speaker, I yield 2 minutes to the gentlewoman from New Jersey (Mrs. McIver). Mrs. McIVER. Mr. Speaker, I rise today with deep concern for our Nation's Capital, also known as chocolate city. The four Republican bills on the floor this week are a direct attack on the people of this city, particularly the Black and Brown communities who have called D.C. home for generations. These are residents who have built thriving small businesses, who have received an education from the D.C.
Mr. Speaker, the D.C. statehood bill, H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, grants D.C. residents full local self- government and voting representation in Congress. H.R. 51 reduces the size of the Federal district from 68 square miles to 2 square miles, consisting of the White House, Capitol, the Supreme Court, and The National Mall and remaining under the control of Congress. The new State consists of the residential and commercial areas of D.C.
H.R. 51 also appeared in 4 more House floor references and 24 routine cosponsor filings.
HR51 Legislative Journey
House: Committee Action
Jan 3, 2025
Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
About the Sponsor
Eleanor Norton
Democrat, The District of Columbia · 35 years in Congress
Committees: Transportation and Infrastructure, Oversight and Government Reform
View full profile →
Cosponsors (207)
No new cosponsors in 55 days
All 207 cosponsors are Democrats. Cosponsors represent 37 states: Alabama, Arizona, California, and 34 more.
207Democrats·37 states
Hakeem Jeffries
Democrat · NY
Katherine Clark
Democrat · MA
Pete Aguilar
Democrat · CA
Alma Adams
Democrat · NC
Gabe Amo
Democrat · RI
Becca Balint
Democrat · VT
Nanette Barragán
Democrat · CA
Joyce Beatty
Democrat · OH
Ami Bera
Democrat · CA
Donald Beyer
Democrat · VA
Sanford Bishop
Democrat · GA
Suzanne Bonamici
Democrat · OR
Cosponsor Coverage Map
Committee Sponsors
Energy and Commerce Committee
24D30R
|24 signed30 not yet24 of 54 committee members cosponsored
Judiciary Committee
18D24R
|18 signed24 not yet18 of 42 committee members cosponsored
Armed Services Committee
27D30R
|23 signed34 not yet23 of 57 committee members cosponsored
Rules Committee
4D9R
|4 signed9 not yet4 of 13 committee members cosponsored
Oversight and Government Reform Committee
21D26R
|20 signed27 not yet20 of 47 committee members cosponsored
5 Democrats across these committees haven't cosponsored yet. Mobilize their constituents
H.R. 51 Quick Facts
Cosponsors
207
- Committee
- Energy and Commerce
- Chamber
- House
- Policy
- Government Operations and Politics
- Introduced
- Jan 3, 2025
Referred to Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned. for review
Jan 3, 2025
Official Sources
H.R. 51 on Congress.gov
Official bill page with text, actions, cosponsors, and status for the Washington, D.C. Admission Act.
U.S. Constitution, 23rd Amendment on Congress.gov
The bill includes expedited procedures related to repealing the 23rd Amendment, which currently gives the District electoral votes for president and vice president.
District of Columbia Home Rule Act on Congress.gov
This official page provides the foundational federal law governing D.C.'s local government, which is directly relevant to how statehood would alter the District's legal structure.
U.S. Marshals Service
Section 313 addresses service of United States Marshals, making the Marshals Service an official source for the federal law-enforcement role preserved during transition.
Federal Bureau of Prisons
Section 314 covers designation of felons to Bureau of Prisons facilities, so the Bureau's official site is relevant to the criminal justice transition provisions.
H.R. 51 Common Questions
Would H.R. 51 make Washington, D.C. a state?
Yes. H.R. 51 would admit most of present-day D.C. as the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth while leaving a smaller federal capital under federal control.
How many members of Congress would the new state get?
The new state would get 2 Senators and 1 House member. The House would temporarily grow from 435 to 436 seats until the next regular apportionment.
How fast would the first D.C. statehood election happen?
Fast. The President would have 60 days to certify enactment, and then the Mayor would have 30 days to call the first election for 2 Senators and 1 Representative.
Would any part of D.C. stay a federal district?
Yes. H.R. 51 keeps a smaller federal capital as the seat of government, while most of current D.C. becomes the new state.
What happens to people who live in the remaining federal capital?
They would stay outside the new state. For federal elections, H.R. 51 says they could vote in the state of their most recent domicile.
Would courts and criminal prosecutions keep working during the transition?
Yes. Federal prosecutors, parole supervision, and court funding would continue until the new state certifies that its own systems are ready.
Does H.R. 51 protect D.C. employee retirement benefits?
Yes, for some workers. D.C. employees hired before October 1, 1987 would keep federal retirement and civil service benefit protections under the bill.
Would D.C.'s Medicaid match and college aid continue after statehood?
For a while, yes. H.R. 51 keeps the District's Medicaid match and certain education aid programs in place until the new state says it can replace or absorb them.
Based on H.R. 51 bill text
H.R. 51 Bill Text
“To provide for the admission of the State of Washington, D.C. into the Union.”
Source: U.S. Government Publishing Office
Bill Alerts
Get notified when H.R. 51 moves
Committee votes, floor action, cosponsor changes — straight to your inbox.
Bill alerts + Legisletter's monthly briefing. Unsubscribe anytime.
Government Operations and Politics Bills
9 related bills we're tracking
H.R. 14
John R. Lewis Voting Rights Advancement Act of 2025
Terri SewellD-AL
+216
220 cosponsors
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Mar 5, 2025
HouseGovernment Operations and Politics
H.R. 1065
Protect Our Letter Carriers Act of 2025
Brian FitzpatrickR-PA
+181
185 cosponsors
Referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Feb 6, 2025
HouseGovernment Operations and Politics
H.R. 7802
DISCLOSE Act of 2026
Chris PappasD-NH
+153
157 cosponsors
+3 this monthReferred to the Committee on House Administration, and in addition to the Committees on Ways and Means, and the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Mar 4, 2026
HouseGovernment Operations and Politics
H.R. 2086
Rights for the TSA Workforce Act
Bennie ThompsonD-MS
+148
152 cosponsors
Referred to the Subcommittee on Transportation and Maritime Security.
Mar 11, 2025
HouseGovernment Operations and Politics
H.R. 5657
Fair Pay for Federal Contractors Act of 2025
Ayanna PressleyD-MA
+131
135 cosponsors
Referred to the Committee on Appropriations, and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
Sep 30, 2025
HouseGovernment Operations and Politics
H.R. 7296
SAVE America Act
Chip RoyR-TX
+107
111 cosponsors
Referred to the House Committee on House Administration.
Jan 30, 2026
HouseGovernment Operations and Politics
H.R. 22
SAVE Act
Chip RoyR-TX
+106
110 cosponsors
Received in the Senate.
Apr 10, 2025
HouseGovernment Operations and Politics
H.R. 492
Saving the Civil Service Act
Gerald ConnollyD-VA
+94
98 cosponsors
ASSUMING FIRST SPONSORSHIP - Mr. Walkinshaw asked unanimous consent that he may hereafter be considered as the first sponsor of H.R. 492, a bill originally introduced by Representative Connolly, for the purpose of adding cosponsors and requesting reprintings pursuant to clause 7 of rule XII. Agreed to without objection.
Sep 16, 2025
HouseGovernment Operations and Politics
H.R. 4894
Deceptive Practices and Voter Intimidation Prevention Act of 2025
Jennifer McClellanD-VA
+30
34 cosponsors
Referred to the House Committee on the Judiciary.
Aug 5, 2025
HouseGovernment Operations and Politics
Trending Right Now
Bills gaining momentum across Congress
H.R. 3514Surging+10
Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act of 2025
Mike KellyR-PA
+292
296 cosponsors
+10 this monthForwarded by Subcommittee to Full Committee by Voice Vote.
Jun 25, 2026
HouseHealth
H.R. 3747Surging+17
AADAPT Act
Troy BaldersonR-OH
+93
97 cosponsors
+17 this monthOrdered to be Reported by the Yeas and Nays: 48 - 0.
May 21, 2026
HouseHealth
H.R. 1340Surging+17
More Homes on the Market Act
Jimmy PanettaD-CA
+134
138 cosponsors
+17 this monthReferred to the House Committee on Ways and Means.
Feb 13, 2025
HouseTaxation
Tracking Government Operations and Politics in Congress? Monitor bills, track cosponsor momentum, and launch advocacy campaigns — all from one advocacy platform.