The Democrat Party just got one step closer to taking absolute control over the United States.
On Thursday, the U.S. House of Representatives voted 216 to 208 to pass H.R. 51, which is titled the “Washington, D.C. Admissions Act.” The vote was strictly on a party line, with every Democrat in favor and every Republican opposed.
H.R. 51 would admit Washington, D.C., as the 51st state, something that would add two additional U.S. senators from a solidly Democrat constituency. The center of D.C., comprising the White House, U.S. Capitol, and other government buildings, would remain a federal district.
H.R. 51 now goes to the U.S. Senate for consideration. The bill’s prospects in the chamber are far less certain, partially because of the existence of the filibuster which requires a 60-vote threshold to pass legislation. However, the survival of the filibuster itself is in doubt, as Democrats are seeking to abolish or change it to ram through far-left legislation. As a sign of the level of support in the Senate, companion bill S. 51 has 45 sponsors and co-sponsors.
Joe Biden’s reaction to H.R. 51, should it arrive at his desk, is not in doubt. On April 20, the White House Office of Management and Budget announced the administration “strongly supports” the bill.
As The New American has previously reported, H.R. 51 is unconstitutional for multiple reasons. For example, Article I, Section 8, Clause 17, of the U.S. Constitution makes clear that the capital is not to be a state, and it does not give Congress authority to make it a separate state.
The 23rd Amendment reinforces the status of Washington, D.C., as a separate entity. As phrased by attorney R. Hewitt Pate, it “recognizes an existing district of government of a particular size” and “refers to the District as a permanent constitutional entity.” This amendment would need to changed before D.C. can achieve statehood.
Furthermore, until the Obama administration instigated a radical shift in the Department of Justice’s position, Democrat and Republican presidential administrations all agreed that a constitutional amendment is necessary to make Washington, D.C., a state.
Thus, in voting to pass H.R. 51, congressional Democrats are steamrolling the Constitution to achieve their goal of two additional Democrat-held Senate seats. Unfortunately, this is only one of the multiple far-left and socialist priorities they are currently pushing.
This illustrates the necessity for patriots to continually educate others about the U.S. Constitution and Americanism, and for them to ceaselessly put pressure on their elected officials. If so, the far-left will not have the last laugh.
To urge your U.S. senators to reject this unconstitutional Washington, D.C. statehood scheme, visit The John Birch Society’s legislative alert here.
