Iran Press/ America: Four decades after launching its drive for US statehood, Washington, DC, was poised to take a step toward becoming the 51st state as the House of Representatives on Friday approved its admission.
According to Reuters, the initiative passed in the Democratic-controlled House by a vote of 232-180, with no Republicans supporting it.
The Republican-controlled Senate is not expected to consider the legislation, and US President Donald Trump has publicly opposed the move saying he would veto it. Trump also noted that statehood would result in election of more Democrats into Congress.
Indeed, voters in the city of Washington have elected only Democratic mayors. Creating a state out of Washington would likely make it more difficult for Republicans to win majorities in the Senate.
On the House floor ahead of the vote, Republican lawmakers argued that making the district into a state was a political ploy by Democrats and would require an amendment to the US constitution. Some also said that Washington was not equipped to be a state and should be absorbed back into Maryland.
Proponents say that Washington’s 700,000 inhabitants -more than Vermont and Wyoming- have no voice in the federal government, despite paying federal taxes.
That status is protested with a slogan on Washington’s automobile license plates that screams: "Taxation without representation".
Currently, legislation passed by the district’s local government is subject to congressional review.
This initiative backed by Democrats in the US House of Representatives and Nancy Pelosi, speaker of the US House of Representatives. 207/219
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