Part ofD.C. Statehood →

FEDERALhearing transcript

High Impact

Hearing on H.R. 51: Making Washington, D.C. the 51st State

Original title: H.R. 51: MAKING D.C. THE 51st STATE

January 1, 2021

D.C. Statehood H.R. 51 Congressional Hearings Voting Rights District of Columbia

Track this bill to get notified when it advances a stage. One tap to stop, anytime.

The Frame

What this does

This hearing represents a formal legislative step toward changing the political status of Washington, D.C., which would grant its 712,000 residents voting representation in Congress and full local autonomy.

Who is mentioned in the record

Potentially affected actors named in the source documents. Mention is not a position.

District of Columbia residents

The proposed legislation would change their political status and representation in the federal government.

U.S. Congress

Congress is responsible for debating and voting on the legislation that would alter the number of states in the Union.

What changed

Last recorded activity January 1, 2021.

What's next

Next step not available in the current record.

Summary

The House Committee on Oversight and Reform held a hearing on March 22, 2021, to discuss H.R. 51, a bill proposing to grant statehood to the District of Columbia. The hearing featured testimony from local D.C. officials, legal experts, and advocates regarding the potential transition of the District into a state.

Key Facts

The hearing took place on March 22, 2021, in the Rayburn House Office Building.
H.R. 51 had 215 cosponsors at the time of the hearing.
The District of Columbia has a population of more than 712,000 residents.
The House of Representatives previously passed legislation for D.C. statehood in 2020, but it was not considered by the Senate.
Witnesses included the Mayor of D.C., the Chairman of the D.C. Council, the Interim CFO of D.C., and representatives from the Congressional Research Service, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the Heritage Foundation.
Numerous documents were entered into the record, including letters of support from 111 organizations and various advocacy groups.

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the purpose of H.R. 51?

H.R. 51 is a bill intended to grant statehood to the District of Columbia.

Who testified at this hearing?

Witnesses included D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser, D.C. Council Chairman Phil Mendelson, D.C. Interim CFO Fitzroy Lee, and representatives from the Congressional Research Service, The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, and the Heritage Foundation.

Why It Matters

News Coverage

No news coverage found yet. Articles are indexed twice daily.

Discoveries

Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.

policy shift90% confidence

Increased Legislative Momentum

The document notes that H.R. 51 gained 215 cosponsors early in the 117th Congress, indicating a shift in legislative support compared to previous sessions.

H.R. 51

Connected Entities

personCarolyn B. Maloney“Chairwoman of the Committee on Oversight and Reform.”Map →

personPhil Mendelson“Chairman of the Council of the District of Columbia, provided oral testimony.”Map →

personZack Smith“Legal Fellow at the Meese Center Heritage Foundation.”Map →

personWade Henderson“Interim President and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights”Map →

personFitzroy Lee“Interim Chief Financial Officer of the District of Columbia.”Map →

personMuriel Bowser“Mayor of the District of Columbia, provided oral testimony.”Map →

Sources

Open source document

www.govinfo.gov

Analysis Score

0–100

Significance90
How much this matters to a regular citizen
Controversy85
Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
Entertainment20
Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
Buzz40
Current news / social attention level

Publisher tools