Washington, D.C. Admission Act

Floor Speech

Mr. DANNY K. DAVIS of Illinois. Mr. Speaker, I thank the gentlewoman for yielding to me. I also want to commend her for her outstanding leadership of her committee. I also want to take a moment to commend my colleague who has been championing D.C. statehood before I even came to Congress.

You know, I have listened intently to all of the arguments, and it always gets back to one: How are the people in D.C. more likely to vote? Are they are going to vote more likely Democratic? Are they going to vote for Democrats?

Well, let me tell you, I have got people in my district who vote Republican. Can you imagine that? They vote Republican. But we don't deny them the right to vote, and we don't deny them the right to representation.

All that we are seeking and all that we are asking for is simply the principle of no taxation without representation. I think we learned that in grammar school when we took U.S. history, when we first learned how great this country is and how great it can be.

I look forward to the people of Washington, D.C., having all rights of citizenship as a member of a State, voting in the greatest State in the country when it becomes one, Washington, D.C.

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