In the 1760s, furious American colonists protested against “taxation without representation”—British-imposed taxes that didn’t come with any rights of self-determination for British colonies.
Centuries later, the phrase rings true for another group of Americans: The 705,000 residents of the District of Columbia, who for centuries have also fought for representation and self-governance.
But Washington, D.C. residents’ longstanding grievances could soon come to an end. On June 26, the U.S. House of Representatives passed a bill that set D.C. on the unprecedented road to potentially becoming the 51st state. The statehood bill, sponsored by House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, passed in the Democratically controlled chamber 232 to 180. It now will advance to the Republican-led Senate, where it is unlikely to
