WASHINGTON – Today, the House of Representatives voted to pass H.R. 51, a bill to formally establish the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth as the 51st state in our union. In response to this historic vote, Morris Pearl, former managing director at Blackrock, Inc., and Chair of the Patriotic Millionaires, issued the following statement:
“Washington D.C is home to a diverse population, a distinct culture, and a robust workforce of Americans who for far too long have been denied basic representation in the halls of Congress. It is morally repugnant that over 700,000 citizens lack the most basic right in our democracy—equal representation—all because they live in our nation’s capital.
Washington D.C has a larger population than two current U.S states and a GDP larger than that of sixteen different states, yet the hundreds of thousands of residents and hardworking Americans receive no representation of their own. H.R.51, which the House passed today, would finally end this inexcusable hypocrisy that has left more than half a million U.S citizens without an equal say in our government. Today’s vote by the House of Representatives and the White House’s statement of support underscore just how vital D.C. statehood is to ensuring that our democracy is fair and representative of everyone who calls this country home. I hope the United States Senate will follow the leadership of the People’s House and establish Washington D.C as our 51st state.”
