Recognizing the disenfranchisement of District of Columbia residents, calling for statehood for the District of Columbia through the enactment of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, and expressing support for the designation of May 1, 2026, as "D.C. Statehood Day".
- Bill Number
- H.Res. 1244
- Origin Chamber
- House
- Congress
- 119th Congress, Session 2
- Policy Area
- Government Operations and Politics
- Status
- Introduced
- Latest Action
- 2026-04-30: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- Last Updated
- 2026-05-04T22:48:00Z
AI-Generated Summary
Purpose
This House Resolution (H. Res. 1244) recognizes the lack of voting rights for District of Columbia (D.C.) residents in Congress, urges passage of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51 and S. 51) to grant D.C. statehood as the "State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth," and supports designating May 1, 2026, as "D.C. Statehood Day."
Key Provisions
- Background "Whereas" Clauses:
- Highlights U.S. founding principles of consent of the governed and no taxation without representation.
- Notes D.C. residents pay more per capita federal taxes than any state and more total taxes than 26 states, yet lack voting representation in Congress and full local self-government.
- States D.C. meets criteria for statehood (population larger than 2 states, higher GDP and per capita income than many states, 86% voter support in 2016).
- Affirms Congress's constitutional authority to admit new states without other states' consent.
- Resolved Actions:
- Supports designating May 1, 2026, as "D.C. Statehood Day."
- Calls on Congress to enact the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, which would create a new state while reducing the federal district's size.
Significant Changes to Existing Law
- None directly; this is a non-binding resolution (expresses the House's sense but does not create law or amend statutes). It promotes H.R. 51/S. 51, which if passed would admit D.C. as a state.
Potential Impacts
- On Citizens: Symbolic boost for D.C. residents' push for voting rights and self-government; no immediate change.
- On Government Agencies/Congress: Encourages legislative action on statehood bills; referred to multiple committees (Oversight and Government Reform, Rules, Armed Services, Judiciary, Energy and Commerce) for review.
- No direct international relations impact.
Main Stakeholders Affected
- D.C. Residents: Primary beneficiaries if statehood advances, gaining full congressional voting rights.
- U.S. Congress: Tasked with potential action on statehood legislation.
- Federal Government: Affected by reduced federal district size under proposed act.
- Other States: Indirectly referenced (no consent required for D.C. statehood).
Notable Legal, Constitutional, or Political Implications
- Constitutional References:
- Admissions Clause (Article IV, Section 3): Gives Congress sole power to admit new states.
- District Clause (Article I, Section 8): Allows Congress full control over the federal district's size (no minimum specified).
- 23rd Amendment: Permits D.C. electoral college votes without mandating district size or location.
- Political: Reinforces 200+ year D.C. self-determination effort; non-binding nature limits enforceability but signals House support.
- Legal: Argues no prerequisites for statehood beyond Congress's discretion (population/resources, local support, democratic commitment); could influence debates on H.R. 51/S. 51.
This summary was generated by AI and may contain inaccuracies. Refer to the official source document for the authoritative text.
Sponsor
Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Recent Actions
- 2026-04-30: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-30: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-30: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-30: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-30: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to the Committees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Commerce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
- 2026-04-30: Submitted in House
Bill Versions
- Recognizing the disenfranchisement of District of Columbia residents, calling for statehood for the District of Columbia through the enactment of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, and expressing support for the designation of May 1, 2026, as "D.C. Statehood Day". — issued 2026-04-30 — PDF (3 pages)