MORE
ON
ON THE
ON THE BIG VOTE AND WHAT COMES NEXT.
NEXT.
NEXT. >>
NEXT. >> AN EXCITING DAY BUT A LONG
FIGHT AHEAD.
FIGHT AHEAD. THAT HAS -- THE HOUSE PASSED THE
MEASURE.
MEASURE.
MEASURE. NOW, ALL EYES ARE ON CAPITOL
HILL AS D.C. RESIDENTS LOOK TO
THE SENATE TO SECURE STATEHOOD.
THAT IS WHERE THINGS GOT A
LITTLE TRICKY LAST YEAR.
WE KNOW THAT IS WHERE THE
MEASURE FAILED LAST YEAR.
THIS YEAR, SUPPORTERS ARE
HOPEFUL THAT HISTORY WILL BE
MADE IN A HEARING FOR THE FIRST
TIME IN THAT CHAMBER.
♪
♪
♪ >>
♪ >> THIS
♪ >> THIS IS HOW WE DO IT IN WORD
-- IN WARD 8.
>> 51 IS ON THE WAY!
>> WE HERE IN D.C. DESERVE THE
SAME RIGHTS AS OTHER CITIZENS IN
THIS COUNTRY AND WE ARE SICK AND
TIRED OF BEING SECOND-CLASS
CITIZENS.
CITIZENS.
CITIZENS. >> MAYOR MARIO BOWSER CALLS THIS
A RIGHTS ISSUE.
>> D.C. PAYS MORE FEDERAL TAXES
PER CAPITA THAN ANY STATE AND
PAYS MORE FEDERAL TAXES THAN 21
STATES OF THE UNION.
D.C.'S GROSS DOMESTIC PRODUCT IS
LARGER THAN 17 STATES.
>> DELEGATE ELEANOR HOLMES
NORTON SAYS THE STATE WOULD BE
66 MILES WITH TWO MILES FOR THE
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT.
FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. CONCERNS ABOUT
CONCERNS ABOUT CONSTITUTIONALITY.
CONSTITUTIONALITY. >> IT IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
D.C. SHOULD NOT BE A STATE AND
IS NOT GOING TO BE A STATE.
>> PURE GRAB.
>> YOU CAN BE SURE IT IS ABOUT
SCHIP.
SCHIP.
SCHIP. A
SCHIP. A CITY WITH A MINORITY-MAJORITY
POPULATION THAT APPARENTLY MIGHT
VOTE IN A DIFFERENT WAY FROM
SOME SO WHAT?
HOW SOMEBODY VOTES CANNOT BE A
TEST OF WHETHER THEY HAVE THE
RIGHT TO VOTE IN A DEMOCRACY.
THERE ARE NO REPUBLICAN SENATORS
WHO APPROVE D.C. STATEHOOD.
WE SHOULD TELL YOU THE MEASURE
DOES HAVE THE BACKING OF THE
PRESIDENT AND SENATE MAJORITY
LEADER.
LEADER.
LEADER. >> UNFORTUNATELY AT THIS POINT,
THERE ARE FIVE DEMOCRAT HOLDOUTS
WHO HAVE NOT SIGNED ON TO THE
SENATE VERSION.
SENATE VERSION. WE KNOW THIS WILL HAVE A
COMMITTEE HEARING IN THE SENATE.
IF THE FULL SENATE TAKES UP THIS
VOTE, HOW WILL THE FILIBUSTER
PLAY INTO THAT?
>> THAT IS THE QUESTION OF THE
HOUR.
HOUR.
HOUR. FOLKS ARE REALLY FOCUSING IN ON
SENATE FILIBUSTER RULES, NOW
ASKING THE SENATE TO REMOVE THE
FILIBUSTER.
FILIBUSTER. SOME ARGUE THAT IT IS SIMPLY
THEIR TO BLOCK BILLS.
SO THAT IS WHY THE DEMOCRATS
RIGHT NOW ARE URGING REPUBLICAN
COLLEAGUES TO REMOVE THE
FILIBUSTER, SO D.C. STATEHOOD
CAN PASS THE SENATE.
HERE IS THE CATCH.
IF THE FILIBUSTER REMAINS, WE
KNOW THAT D.C. STATEHOOD NEEDS
60 VOTES TO PASS.
ADAM: REMOVING THE FILIBUSTER
SEEMS LIKE THE ONLY POSSIBLE WAY
AT THIS POINT IN TIME TO GET IT
PASSED.
PASSED.
PASSED. D.C. LOST ITS CONGRESSIONAL
REPRESENTATION IN 1801.
THAT IS WHEN CONGRESS PASSED THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA ORGANIC ACT
IT OFFICIALLY PUT THE DISTRICT
UNDER FEDERAL CONTROL.
BEFORE THAT, IT WAS EITHER
CONSIDERED EITHER VIRGINIA OR
MARYLAND RESIDENTS.
MARYLAND RESIDENTS. HE TOOK A CONSTITUTIONAL
AMENDMENT TO GET PEOPLE IN
WASHINGTON ELECTORAL VOTES.
BEFORE 1964, THEY COULD NOT VOTE
FOR PRESIDENT.
FOR PRESIDENT. 60 YEARS LATER, THE FIGHT FOR
STATEHOOD AND FOR REPRESENTATION
CONTINUES.
CONTINUES. EVEN AFTER PASSING THE HOUSE,
JUMPING THROUGH HOOPS IN THE
SENATE, AND GETTING THE
PRESIDENT'S SIGNATURE, D.C.
STATEHOOD WOULD STILL FACE
ANOTHER CHALLENGE IN COURT.
THEY SAY MAKING THE DISC --
MAKING THE DISTRICT INTO A
COMMONWEALTH IS
COMMONWEALTH IS UNCONSTITUTIONAL.
UNCONSTITUTIONAL.