A New Hampshire state representative has introduced a resolution into that state’s legislature championing full statehood for the District, D.C. Council member David A. Catania announced in an afternoon press release. Full text follows:
District of Columbia Statehood Bill Filed in New Hampshire House of Representatives
Washington, D.C. – Today, Councilmember David A. Catania (At-Large) was informed by New Hampshire State Representative Cindy Rosenwald (D-22nd District) that her bill, “A Resolution expressing support for admitting the District of Columbia as the fifty-first State of the United States of America”, was officially filed in the New Hampshire House of Representatives. The bill would formally declare the New Hampshire House of Representatives’ support for full representative democracy for citizens of the District of Columbia.
“The fight for voting rights for District residents must expand to be successful,” said Councilmember Catania. “The bill now filed in the New Hampshire House of Representatives is the beginning of that expansion. The opponents of District statehood and voting rights will hear from our fellow Americans that the injustice perpetrated daily against District residents must not continue.”
Catania commended the bill’s author, Representative Rosenwald, who has long been a champion of District voting rights. Rosenwald’s legislation details the contributions of District residents to the nation including those who made the ultimate sacrifice in service to their country while they were denied full democratic representation.
“It is fundamentally unfair that 600,000 United States citizens are subject to taxation without representation,” said Representative Rosenwald. “This is especially outrageous when citizens of the District have volunteered to defend our freedoms around the world.”
The bill will be assigned to a committee, receive a public hearing, and be voted on by the House of Representatives. The New Hampshire House of Representative rules dictate that every bill receive both a public hearing and floor vote.
In early 2008, Rosenwald along with Representative James Splaine and Senator Martha Fuller Clark introduced House Resolution 26. HR26 expressed support for the District’s effort to obtain voting representation in the United States Congress. Councilmember Catania led a delegation including then-Mayor Adrian Fenty, Council Chair Vincent Gray, and other seven other Councilmembers to testify before the New Hampshire House of Representatives on HR26.
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