Reschenthaler Opposes Democrats’ Unconstitutional D.C. Statehood Power Grab
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, Congressmen Guy Reschenthaler (PA-14) voted no on H.R. 51, Congressional Democrats' unconstitutional power grab to make the District of Columbia (D.C.) a state. The bill passed on a party-line vote of 216-208 and now heads to the Senate for consideration.
"Congressional Democrats' scheme to admit D.C. as the 51st state is nothing more than an unconstitutional power grab to gain two ultra-progressive seats in the Senate and force their radical, far-left policies on the American people," said Reschenthaler. "H.R. 51 ignores both the framer's vision for our nation and the constitutional impediments to D.C. statehood. Congressional Democrats' actions today represent exactly what the Founding Fathers sought to prevent. I hope Congressional Democrats stop their repeated efforts to take away power from the American people and instead work with us to move our country forward."
The Founding Fathers never intended for D.C. to become a state. In Federalist No. 43, James Madison argued that if the capitol city were situated within a state, the federal government would be subject to undue influence by the host state. As such, Article 1, Section 8, Clause 17 of the U.S. Constitution establishes a neutral district for our nation's representatives to meet and vote on equal ground.
Since 1963, every Justice Department that has addressed D.C. statehood has concluded Congress does not have the authority to alter the status of the city legislatively. Attorney General Robert F. Kennedy thought it was "inconceivable" that D.C. could be granted statehood without repealing the 23rd Amendment, and the result would "produce an absurdity."
"H.R. 51 is nothing more than Congressional Democrats' latest attempt to consolidate power and jam through radical policies that will destroy good-paying, working-class jobs and make our communities less safe," said Reschenthaler. "Since coming into office, President Biden, Speaker Pelosi, and Leader Schumer have proven Congressional Democrats are completely beholden to Democrat socialists at the expense of hardworking Americans. I will continue to fight their unconstitutional power grabs."
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