Councilmember Evan Glass will introduce a resolution at Tuesday’s Montgomery County Council meeting, showing Montgomery County’s support for Washington D.C.’s statehood. This will be the first time Montgomery County has put forward a resolution formally supporting D.C. statehood.
Glass’ resolution will be introduced on the same day the House Committee on Oversight and Reform is set to vote on the D.C. Admission Act. The D.C. Admission Act would grant D.C. residents full Congressional representation and an ability to self govern. It’s the first time since 1993 that Congress is voting on the D.C. statehood issue.
Glass said in a statement that Montgomery County is proud to stand with D.C. in the fight for statehood.
“Taxation without representation is the tyranny that our founders fought against and it remains unacceptable today. As a locally elected official, I know the importance of having budgetary authority on policies directly benefiting my constituents. Residents of the District of Columbia deserve the same respect as any other tax-paying jurisdiction,” Glass said.
LIVE: We're joined by Congresswoman @EleanorNorton and District leaders, ahead of the @OversightDems H.R. 51 markup, to say "DC demands statehood, now!". #DCstatehood Closed Captions: https://t.co/44CwI7bWqr https://t.co/N5b9DXAufq
— Mayor Muriel Bowser (@MayorBowser) February 10, 2020
D.C. Mayor Muriel Bowser thanked Glass in a statement.
“We greatly appreciate Councilmember Glass and our neighbors in Maryland for supporting statehood, which we know is the only way to fix the injustice of denying 705,000 taxpaying Washingtonians their full democratic rights,” Bowser said. “Making Washington, D.C. the 51st state is not only the right thing to do, but it would also strengthen our region by ensuring our collective interests are appropriately represented in the halls of Congress.”
D.C. Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D), who has been fighting for D.C. statehood since 1991, also released a statement thanking Glass.
“Your resolution from our neighboring county, as H.R. 51 will soon be sent to the House floor, is fraught with unique historic meaning,” Holmes Norton said.
Reminder to District residents – tomorrow the House Oversight Committee will hold a markup and VOTE on our #DCstatehood bill.
We expect a large turnout, and will have three overflow rooms, but I suggest getting here early. Details below! https://t.co/OHjS4Q6OA1
— Eleanor #DCStatehood Holmes Norton (@EleanorNorton) February 10, 2020