U.S. House passes bill that would grant D.C. statehood

WASHINGTON, D.C. — The United States House of Representatives passed a bill Thursday, April 22 to make Washington, D.C. the 51st state.  The legislation would formally create the state of Washington Douglass Commonwealth, named after Frederick Douglass, a former slave turned abolitionist.

Thursday’s vote was along party lines with no Republicans voting in favor of the measure.

The legislation would give D.C. two senators and a representative in the House.  Washington, D.C. has a non-voting delegate in the House.  It would also carve out the White House, U.S. Capitol and National Mall to remain under federal control. Observers say the bill is likely to fail in the evenly divided Senate.