Welcome to DU! The truly grassroots left-of-center political community where regular people, not algorithms, drive the discussions and set the standards. Join the community: Create a free account Support DU (and get rid of ads!): Become a Star Member Latest Breaking News Editorials & Other Articles General Discussion The DU Lounge All Forums Issue Forums Culture Forums Alliance Forums Region Forums Support Forums Help & Search

TexasTowelie

(116,559 posts)
Wed Jun 23, 2021, 10:40 PM Jun 2021

Senate Holds D.C. Statehood Hearing for Second Time Ever

For just the second time in the chamber’s history, the Senate is holding a hearing on legislation that would make D.C. the nation’s 51st state. The hearing comes as D.C. statehood has made tremendous gains, with the House passing legislation twice within the last year and the Biden administration fully backing the issue.

The Senate has not held a hearing on the issue in nearly seven years, and nowadays statehood legislation has more support among senators than ever before. The subject of the hearing—S.51 or the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, introduced by Sen. Tom Carper of Delaware—has the support of 46 senators.

Still, there are four members of the Democratic caucus who have not stated their support: Angus King of Maine, Joe Manchin of West Virginia, and Mark Kelly and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona. Two of those senators—Manchin and Sinema—also do not seem to support abolishing the filibuster, a practice that allows the minority to thwart legislation, thus standing in the way of statehood legislation. The two made their opinions known in recent op-eds ahead of a big vote on voting rights legislation.

The senator really standing in the way of D.C. statehood is Manchin. Notably, Manchin tried to get provisions related to D.C. statehood—along with public financing of elections—removed as a condition of voting in favor of the For the People Act, according to Politico. And last month, Manchin told reporters in his home state that he does not support making D.C. the 51st state through legislation, preferring a constitutional amendment. “If Congress wants to make D.C. a state, it should propose a constitutional amendment. It should propose a constitutional amendment and let the people of America vote,” he said.

Read more: https://washingtoncitypaper.com/article/520210/senate-holds-d-c-statehood-hearing-for-second-time-ever/

5 replies = new reply since forum marked as read
Highlight: NoneDon't highlight anything 5 newestHighlight 5 most recent replies
Senate Holds D.C. Statehood Hearing for Second Time Ever (Original Post) TexasTowelie Jun 2021 OP
Is there anything Manchin and Sinema agree with? Why were they elected as democrats Murphyb849 Jun 2021 #1
Actually Manchin and Sinema have voted with Biden more times than one Senator. sheshe2 Jun 2021 #4
They like being pandered to as swing votes IronLionZion Jun 2021 #5
Manchin doesn't want to lose his authority RainCaster Jun 2021 #2
Was any other state made by constitutional amendment? AleksS Jun 2021 #3

sheshe2

(87,252 posts)
4. Actually Manchin and Sinema have voted with Biden more times than one Senator.
Wed Jun 23, 2021, 11:34 PM
Jun 2021


Manchin is in a very red state and is elected as a Democrat. We need to hold that seat.

IronLionZion

(46,926 posts)
5. They like being pandered to as swing votes
Thu Jun 24, 2021, 08:31 AM
Jun 2021

it makes them feel important. Manchin's excuse is he's the only Dem who could win in WV. Sinema is just delusional.

RainCaster

(11,522 posts)
2. Manchin doesn't want to lose his authority
Wed Jun 23, 2021, 10:52 PM
Jun 2021

He thinks he's the boss man as long as there are only 50 states.

AleksS

(1,697 posts)
3. Was any other state made by constitutional amendment?
Wed Jun 23, 2021, 11:08 PM
Jun 2021

I don’t know for sure, but I don’t think so…

Latest Discussions»Region Forums»District of Columbia»Senate Holds D.C. Stateho...