It’s time to stop treating the more than 700,000 people who live in our nation’s capital as second class citizens. The residents of Washington, DC pay more per capita in federal income taxes than any state in the country—and more in total federal income tax than 22 states—and yet the District has zero voting representatives in the U.S. Congress. The Congress retains broad power to override budget decisions made by democratically elected officials in DC. As was made shockingly clear to the American people in 2020, under current law, our mayor doesn't even have control over our National Guard.
 
The citizens of Washington, DC—the majority of whom are people of color—voted overwhelmingly in favor of statehood in a 2016 referendum and have ratified a state constitution. Democrats unequivocally support DC Statehood, so the citizens of the District can at last have full and equal representation in Congress and the rights of self-determination.