WASHINGTON, DC – Friday, House Democrats passed a bill, HR 51, that would make DC the 51st state .
The bill is not likely to pass, however, because of both Republicans and the White House opposing it.
The bill would create this 51st state called Washington, Douglass Commonwealth. It would be named for Frederick Douglass. Douglass was an escaped slave who became a leader in the abolitionist movement, seeking to end slavery prior to and during the Civil War. Douglass spent the last 17 years of his life in DC.
The bill states the state would be represented by two senators and one member of Congress. It would include all of DC’s current territory, minus the White House, the Capitol, other federal buildings, and some other monument areas.
#BREAKING: U.S. House PASSES #HR51 #DCStatehood bill, 232-180. https://t.co/Jf6zDRrf8t
Goes now to the Senate. pic.twitter.com/rviiJWYFE5
— CSPAN (@cspan) June 26, 2020
Mayor Muriel Bowser tweeted:
“I was born without representation, but I swear – I will not die without representation. Together, we will achieve DC statehood, and when we do, we will look back on this day and remember all who stood with us on the right side of history.”
RT if you believe the House of Representatives should pass HR 51 for #DCStatehood today pic.twitter.com/87hbNp4RRP
— Muriel Bowser (@MurielBowser) June 26, 2020
USA Today reported:
“Vanita Gupta, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, hailed the vote as a ‘watershed moment’ in ending what she called the ‘second-class citizenship of D.C. residents’ and granting them the right to vote.”
Some have stated that residents of the area are not represented as they should be, which they’ve attributed to the fact that the area had many blacks migrate to the area mid-20th century.
Others have pointed out that the move, especially at this particular time, is simply a way to garner more votes and gain two more Democratic Senators.
I drew the new capital district as described in the house bill #HR51 making the rest of Washington, D.C. a state #DCStatehood pic.twitter.com/IlMYNy5s8P
— elijah vance (@StarlordAlaeis) June 26, 2020
Representative Jody Hice (R-Ga) pointed out that the Constitution set aside land for the capital as a non-state.
Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell said:
“They plan to make the District of Columbia a state—that’d give them two new Democratic senators—Puerto Rico a state, that would give them two more new Democratic senators. So this is full bore socialism on the march in the House. And yeah, as long as I’m the majority leader of the Senate, none of that stuff is going anywhere.”
In addition to their power grab, House Democrats also blocked a procedural motion Thursday to ‘condemn’ the Defund the Police movement and the riots that began after George Floyd’s death
The Democrats and Republicans are going head to head regarding the social problem of systemic racism in America. After weeks of riots and violent protests, most agree that some form of reform must take place.
However, Republicans and Democrats seem to have different thoughts on how to do that. According to Breitbart, on Thursday, Florid Representative Greg Steube (R-FL) entered a motion to allow a vote on a new amendment to challenge the Democrats’ ‘Justice in Policing Act’ which was introduced on Monday.
About to speak out on the Senate floor against the Republican’s totally inadequate policing bill. It fails to meet the immediate needs of this moment—I urge my colleagues to support our Justice in Policing Act instead.
Tune in here to watch. https://t.co/EThzcnaJPF
— Kamala Harris (@SenKamalaHarris) June 23, 2020
The new amendment, “Calling for justice for George Floyd and others, and condemning violence and rioting,” which you can read HERE, was completed and introduced on Thursday.
Mr. Steube’s amendment states:
“Praises law enforcement for keeping the police
“Calls for justice for officers and other who have served from violence the hands of extremists.
“Strongly condemns the violence, riots, and looting in the United States.
“Strongly opposes any effort to establish autonomous areas within the sovereign territory of the United States.
“Strongly opposes efforts to defund, dismantle, or disband police forces.”
Mr. Steube’s amendment was backed by House Judiciary Committee Ranking Member Jim Jordan (R-OH), who stated the amendment would call for “justice” for both police and George Floyd. Not a single Democrat voted for the amendment; it actually failed with 231 votes against to 176 votes in its favor.
Mr. Jordan was quoted by Breitbart as saying:
“There is a big difference between peaceful protest and rioting. There is a big difference between peaceful protests and violence. There is a big difference between peaceful protest and forming CHAZ or CHOP or any type of autonomous zone.
“If we allow this defund the police concept to happen, to take root and to actually take place it will not only be tough for police officers but the communities they serve, what will happen there? It’s frightening.”
The House just PASSED the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act with Bipartisan support.
Honored to have delivered the closing argument during debate.
To those seeking change throughout America.
We hear you. We see you. We are you. pic.twitter.com/yZHFdMFf0J
— Hakeem Jeffries (@RepJeffries) June 26, 2020
Fox News reported that the Democrats “Justice in Policing Act” targets holding police officers accountable for their inappropriate behavior, causing all of law enforcement to be mistrusted. The bill would also make certain practices prohibited (choke holds, tear gas, etc.) and curtail qualified immunity for police significantly.
The bill consists of:
- Reform qualified immunity
- Setting up independent investigations
- Forming a National Police Misconduct Registry
- Creating a change to use of force and other standards
- Training on racial bias
- Make lynching a federal crime
- Fixed best practice recommendations – practices that Obama’s 21st Century Policing Task Force recommended.
Fox News quoted California Senator Kamala Harris, saying:
“We’re here because black Americans want to stop being killed. Reforming policing is in the best interest of all Americans.
“The real way to achieve safe and healthy communities is to invest in those communities, in affordable housing, in the ability for homeownership, jobs, funding for public schools, giving people access to capital so they can grow those small businesses that are part of the leadership and health of these communities.”
The Justice in Policing Act of 2020 increases the likely hood that police officers who act with intentional and reckless misconduct are prosecuted. It also allows for more independent investigations at state and local jurisdictions creating more “pattern and practice’” investigations by state attorneys general and the U. S. Department of Justice.
BREAKING: The U.S. House of Representatives just passed the George Floyd Justice in Policing Act by a vote of 236-181! This legislation is an important step towards addressing police brutality, racial profiling, and other fundamental problems in our law enforcement system. https://t.co/a83hdLyyN4
— Shannon Watts (@shannonrwatts) June 26, 2020
This bill will also look to establish national use of force standard, ban federal use of chokeholds, and racial profiling. A National Police Misconduct Registry maintaining police officers’ violations public records.
Fox News reported that Democrat Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi held a close to “nine-minute long moment of silence – taking a knee for the same amount of time that Floyd was kept on the ground – and wearing African-style kente scarves.”
Democrats appear to be adamant about defunding the police, and many Republicans are concerned.
California Democrat, Karen Bass, opposes defunding the police and told Fox News:
“Now I don’t believe that you should disband the police departments. Cities and states need to look at how we are spending the resources and invest more in our communities.”
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