Democrat-led House of Representatives approves Statehood Bill for Washington D.C

On 26^th June 2020, the lower house of the United States Congress the House of Representatives has voted 232-180 in favour of the Bill that would grant the United States capital Washington D.C statehood for the first time since it was created 230 years ago.

However, with the Presidential Elections in November this year, the Bill introduced by Eleanor Holmes Norton (non-voting member of the House of Representative from Washington D.C) seems unlikely to come into force as the chances for the Bill to advance at the Senate (Upper House of the United States Congress) seems unlikely. Also, the United States President has made it clear that he would ‘veto’ the Bill even if it is passed at the Senate.

In 1790, Washington D.C was carved out from the states of Virginia and Maryland. D.C stands for District of Columbia.

At present, at the House of Representatives, the Democratic Party has a clear majority with 233 seats out of the total 435 seats. The United States President Trump’s Republican Party has 198 members at the House of Representatives. Out of 233 Democrats, 232 have voted in favour of the Bill. The Republican Party has voiced their opposition against the Bill from the beginning.

At the Senate, the Bill is even unlikely to be introduced as the Republican Party has a majority with 53 out of the 100 seats. Democrats have 45 seats at the Senate.

Month: Current Affairs - June, 2020