Updated June 29, 2020
District of Columbia Statehood and Voting Representation
On June 26, 2020, the U.S. House of Representatives
have included full statehood or more limited methods of
considered and passed the Washington, D.C. Admission
providing DC residents the ability to vote in congressional
Act, H.R. 51. This marked the first time in 27 years a
elections. Some Members of Congress have opposed these
District of Columbia (DC) statehood bill was considered on
legislative efforts and recommended maintaining the status
the floor of the House of Representatives, and the first time
quo. Past legislative proposals have generally aligned with
in the history of Congress a DC statehood bill was passed
one of the following five options:
by either the House or the Senate.
1. a constitutional amendment to give DC
residents voting representation in
This In Focus discusses the political status of DC, identifies
Congress;
concerns regarding DC representation, describes selected
issues in the statehood process, and outlines some recent
2. retrocession of the District of Columbia
DC statehood or voting representation bills. It does not
to Maryland;
provide legal or constitutional analysis on DC statehood or
3. semi-retrocession (i.e., allowing qualified
voting representation. It does not address territorial
DC residents to vote in Maryland in
statehood issues. For information and analysis on these and
federal elections for the Maryland
other issues, please refer to the CRS products listed in the
congressional delegation to the House and
final section.
Senate);
District of Columbia
4. statehood for the District of Columbia;
and
When ratified in 1788, the U.S. Constitution called for the
creation of a federal enclave to serve as the permanent seat
5. a statutory provision for representation in
of the new national government. The Constitution also
the Congress (virtual statehood) or other
granted Congress plenary legislative authority over that
statutory means for voting representation.
enclave. Concerns regarding a lack of federal representation
The particular voting representation provided for in these
for DC’s residents emerged as early as 1801, shortly after
models has varied in the manner and degree of proposed
DC became the formal seat of the federal government.
representation. Some bills introduced in Congress have
sought to provide a limited level of voting representation,
Currently, DC is home to more than 700,000 residents who
such as granting one Representative in the House. Other
pay federal taxes like all state residents. Unlike in states,
options, such as retrocession and semi-retrocession, sought
however, Congress exercises plenary authority in DC, and
to provide representation to DC residents through
laws passed by the DC government are generally
participation in Maryland’s federal elections. Past proposals
implemented only after a congressional review period.
for statehood and other similar models, like virtual
These limitations on local representative government raise
statehood, likely would have granted DC residents at least
concerns for some DC residents and some Members of
one Representative in the House, and in some cases, two
Congress. The Constitution does not provide DC residents
Senators.
formal representation in Congress, which some argue limits
their ability to influence federal policy regarding DC.
Statehood and the Constitution
The Constitution gives Congress the authority to grant
DC participation in federal elections currently includes
statehood and provides some limits on forming states out of
casting votes for presidential electors (under the Twenty-
existing states, but it does not outline conditions for
Third Amendment) and for one nonvoting delegate in the
achieving statehood or specify a process by which it occurs.
House of Representatives. DC does not have a formal
In the past, several events have occurred prior to statehood
representative in the Senate. The DC delegate, like other
admission. These events have typically included (1) a
delegates, can introduce legislation and possesses the same
demonstration by the residents of the proposed state of a
powers as Representatives in House committees. However,
belief in the principles of republican government; (2) an
delegates may not vote in, or preside over, the House.
expression of majority support for statehood among
Although House rules for the 116th Congress allow
residents; and (3) establishment of capacity of the proposed
delegates to vote in and preside over the Committee of the
state to pay its share of federal costs. Congress has granted
Whole, their votes may not be decisive in that forum.
statehood through a variety of legislative vehicles. The
most common vehicle is for the House and Senate to pass a
District of Columbia Voting
bill or joint resolution approving statehood, which is then
Representation
signed by the President.
Proponents for DC voting representations have sought to
achieve their goals through a variety of options. Proposals
https://crsreports.congress.gov

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District of Columbia Statehood and Voting Representation
DC Statehood in the 116th Congress
Selected Previous Proposals for District
On January 3, 2019, DC Delegate to Congress Eleanor
of Columbia Statehood
Holmes Norton introduced H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C.
Since 1983, there has been a continuing effort by some to
Admission Act. The bill was referred to the House
bring voting representation to DC. Some statehood bills
Committee on Oversight and Reform. On February 28,
from recent history include:
2019, Senator Thomas Carper introduced a companion bill
to H.R. 51. The Senate bill was referred to the Committee
 H.R. 51, 103rd Congress, introduced by Delegate
on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. On
Holmes Norton in 1993. The full House voted on the bill
September 19, 2019, the House Committee on Oversight
on November 21, 1993; the bill failed by a 153-277
and Reform held a hearing on H.R. 51.
margin.
The House committee held a markup on February 11, 2020,
 S. 132, 113th Congress, introduced by Senator Carper in
on a separate statehood bill, H.R. 5803. Introduced by
2013. The Committee on Homeland Security and
Delegate Holmes Norton on February 7, 2020, the bill was
Governmental Affairs held a hearing on the bill; it
similar to H.R. 51, but provided more detail on the process
received no further action.
for statehood transition in DC.
Other Recent Legislative Proposals
H.R. 5803 would admit Washington, Douglass
Congress has also considered legislative proposals to
Commonwealth, as the 51st state of the United States, on an
establish voting representation for DC in ways other than
“equal footing with the other States in all respects
statehood. Some similarly designed bills recently sought to
whatever.” The new state would include most of the land in
expand the number of seats in the House to 437 and to grant
the current District of Columbia. The legislation would
a DC voting representative in that chamber. Such bills
create a smaller federal enclave named District of
included:
Columbia, which would remain as the U.S. capital and
would include “principal Federal monuments,” the U.S.
 H.R. 157, 111th Congress, introduced by Delegate
Capitol Building, the White House, the U.S. Supreme Court
Holmes Norton in 2009. The bill was reported by the
Building, and federal office buildings adjacent to the
House Committee on the Judiciary; it received no
National Mall and the U.S. Capitol.
further action.
Under the legislation, Washington, Douglass
 S. 160, 111th Congress, introduced by Senator Joseph
Commonwealth, would elect two Senators and at least one
Lieberman in 2009. The Senate approved the bill by a
Representative in the House. Additionally, the new state
vote of 61-37 on February 26, 2009. It was not taken up
would gain full sovereignty over its legislative process. The
by the House.
bill would also establish procedures that expedite
congressional consideration of a joint resolution to repeal
Although S. 160 was similar to H.R. 157, it contained
the Twenty-Third Amendment, which provides at least
several unique provisions. For instance, S. 160 would have
three electoral college votes to the District. H.R. 5803 sets
limited DC to no more than one Representative in the
out the process for transferring federal responsibilities to
House and no Senators, and required a fourth congressional
the new state and would establish a statehood transition
district in Utah. Another provision would have repealed
commission.
most of a DC gun-control law.
During the February 2020 markup, the committee rejected
For More Information/CRS Reports
several amendments, including some that would have
For more information on DC statehood and voting
restricted the new state’s ability to enact legislation dealing
representation, please see the following resources:
with gun control, immigration, and abortion. H.R. 5803 was
ordered to be reported by a vote of 21-16.
CRS Testimony TE10039, H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C.
Admission Act, by Kenneth R. Thomas
The House Rules Committee held a hearing on H.R. 51 on
June 24, 2020. The committee print presented during the
CRS Report RL33830, District of Columbia Voting
hearing was comprised of the text of H.R. 5803 as reported
Representation in Congress: An Analysis of Legislative
by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform. The
Proposals
Rules Committee reported a closed rule providing for floor
consideration of the bill. That rule made additional
CRS Report R40555, Delegates to the U.S. Congress:
technical changes to the text of the measure. On June 26,
History and Current Status, by Christopher M. Davis
2020, H.R. 51 passed the House by a vote of 232-180.
For analysis on recent statehood efforts in Puerto Rico,
The Senate majority leader has publicly stated that he will
please see the following report:
not schedule H.R. 51 for consideration. On June 24, 2020,
the Trump Administration published a Statement of
CRS Report R44721, Political Status of Puerto Rico: Brief
Administration Policy, indicating its opposition to H.R. 51.
Background and Recent Developments for Congress, by R.
Sam Garrett
https://crsreports.congress.gov

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District of Columbia Statehood and Voting Representation

Joseph V. Jaroscak, Analyst in Economic Development
Policy
IF11443


Disclaimer
This document was prepared by the Congressional Research Service (CRS). CRS serves as nonpartisan shared staff to
congressional committees and Members of Congress. It operates solely at the behest of and under the direction of Congress.
Information in a CRS Report should not be relied upon for purposes other than public understanding of information that has
been provided by CRS to Members of Congress in connection with CRS’s institutional role. CRS Reports, as a work of the
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