June 26, 2020
Dear Washingtonians,
With today's historic vote in the House of Representatives, DC is closer than we have ever been to becoming the 51st state.
More than 160 years ago, Washingtonian Frederick Douglass told us: Power concedes nothing without a demand. As Washingtonians and as taxpaying American citizens, we are demanding what is owed to us – the rights guaranteed to us by the U.S. Constitution.
It is past time to fix this injustice. It is true that DC is more brown and more liberal than many other states. But the issue of taxation without representation was settled more than 200 years ago through the Declaration of Independence, and disenfranchising more than 700,000 taxpaying Americans is wrong no matter our politics or demographics. Who we elect is our business, and denying us statehood based on who we might send to Congress is both undemocratic and un-American.
Now, just as generations of Americans have worked over the centuries to build a more perfect union, we, too, are ready to seize this moment. Today, we stand on the shoulders of generations of Washingtonians who demanded access to our nation’s democracy – from the abolitionists of the 1800s to the Home Rule activists of the 1900s.
Power concedes nothing without a demand. And statehood is our demand.
On behalf of all Washingtonians, I congratulate Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton. On both a personal and professional level, this is an extraordinary accomplishment for the Congresswoman, and we are all grateful not only for her tireless advocacy for statehood, but also her commitment to uplifting DC residents and putting DC in the best position to become the 51st state.
I was born without representation, but I swear – I will not die without representation. Together, we will achieve DC statehood, and when we do, we will look back on this day and remember all who stood with us on the right side of history.
Sincerely,
 Today, history was made when the House of Representatives voted 232-180 to pass the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51), the first time a chamber of Congress has approved a bill to make Washington, DC the 51st state.
Keep the conversation going on social media and let your friends, family, and followers know why you support #DCStatehood.
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 This year, we are asking residents to celebrate the Fourth of July at home, or close to home, and in small groups. As with other holidays, we will have more Fourth of Julys, but we only get one opportunity to respond to this pandemic. We also share a special responsibility to protect our most vulnerable neighbors.
Protect yourself and protect others:
- Wear a mask.
- Keep six feet of space between you and other people.
- And choose your activities wisely. Just because you can go somewhere doesn't mean you should.
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 Free COVID-19 testing continues to be broadly available across DC. Recently, the District expanded walk-up testing sites to include firehouses across the city; these sites do not require an appointment.
Learn more about testing sites at coronavirus.dc.gov/testing
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