Date: 1993-11-20
Speaker: EDOIE BERNICE JOHNSON (democrat)
Chamber: H
State: Texas

Mr. Chairman. I rise in support of H.R. 51. providIng for the admission of New Columbia as the fiftyfirst State In the Union. Statehood for the residents of the present District of Columbia I* a matter of fundamental civil rights. For too long. those who live In our capital city have paid Federal taxes and fought and died in wars without the basic right of full representation In Congress. With a greater population than some states and with a large and diverse economy. the present District of Columbia is still treated like a colony. with the most routine actions of the local government subjected to a Congressional override. Mr. Chairman. it Is shameful that the citizens of the city which Is a symbol of democracy throughout the world do not have the basic right of full representation In the national legislature. Our country was founded on the principle of no taxation without representation. and yet the residents of the District of Columbia have no final voice in the Federal laws that they must live by. This bill would preserve the Intent of the Founding Fathers that territory be set aside as the seat of the Federal Government. Under the legislation. The Mall and Monument areas and most Federal Buildings will continue to be administered by Congress. The citys residential neighborhoods. however. where 600.000 people live. will finally have the same kind of local autonory and Congressional representation that every other American enjoys. The Constitution specifies that the Federal seal of Government Is not to exceed 10 square miles. The Constitution does not prohibit Congress from reducing the size of the Federal Capital. and In fact Congress has already done so. In 1846. Congress returned Alexandria to the State of Virginia so that Aexandrians could continue the practice of slavery. If territory could be retroceded In order to keep people enslaved. how much more appropriate is It to admit New Columbia as a State in order to give Its citizens all the cMil rights of a democratic country. The residents of the District of Columbia were originally denied representation In Congress because of the assumption that people would only live here temporarily while the Congress was In session. At the end of the eighteenth century. few could probably Imagine how this city would grow and diversify. No longer Is the Federal Government the only employer In this city. The major part of the economy Is made up of businesses. large and small. that are unrelated to the Federal Goveminent. It Is incongruous that all of the residents of the District of Columbia. most of whom do not work for the Government. should be barred from Congressional representation while Congressional and Federal employees who live In the Maryland and Virginia suburbs are able to vote for Senators and members of congress. Opponents of this measure dwell on local problems such as crime and budgetary difficulties. These arguments are completely beside the point. Most large cities In this country. unfortunately. have problems with violent crime. One of our largest cities. New York. almost went bankrupt and had to be balled out by the Federal Government. None of these communities lost their representation In Congress because of these local problems. It is up to the citizens of this city to solve their own problems. and they should be given the same freedom to do so that the residents of every other American city have. Mr. Chairman. the proposed admission of a new state has frequently caused controversy. Objections were raised against the admission of my own state of Texas because at the time it was a separate republic. The admission of California was controversial because its territory was not contiguous with any existing state. In retrospect. these objections certainly sound frivolous at best Similarly. t Is to be hoped that future generations will find It Incredible that the citizens of the greatest democracy on earth were not represented In that count ys capitol. I urge my colleagues to join me In passing this vital civil rights measure.