OFFICIALS LEGISLATION INTEREST GROUPS PUBLIC STATEMENTS COMMITTEES VETOES

Washington, D.C. Admission Act

Floor Speech

Date: April 22, 2021
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Constitution Federal, State and Local Relations

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Mr. SESSIONS. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in opposition to H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admissions Act.

In many respects, America seems to be at the same point we were in the 1930s and 1940s--calling for a single party rule from Washington, D.C.

Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis observed at that time: ``The greatest dangers to liberty lurk in insidious encroachments by men of zeal, well-meaning but without understanding.''

These words of wisdom might also offer some inspiration to us here today: ``Whenever a people or an institution forgets its hard beginnings, it is beginning to decay'' by Carl Sandberg.

Mr. Speaker, both of these sayings are on the halls of our Capitol.

Addressing people's ability to vote is important. Addressing a party's desire for singular political control of a Nation is another matter.

Our Constitution outlines the process for admitting new States to the Union and rules regarding the formation of the District of Columbia.

In 1961, 36 States voted to ratify the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution, ensuring that the District of Columbia had representation and taxation. That was done out of fairness. These 36 States did this out of fairness.

We have already heard what the Attorney General Robert Kennedy said, but, Mr. Speaker, today we are doing the inconceivable and will produce the absurdity.

Legislation does not overrule a constitutional amendment. Legislation is subject to the Constitution and all of its amendments.

If you want to make D.C. a State, have a process that overturns the 23rd Amendment and then ratify a 29th Amendment, which then repeals the 23rd Amendment.

There is precedent. The 18th Amendment was repealed by the 21st Amendment to end Prohibition. On February 20, 1933, Congress passed the repealing Amendment. On December 5, 1933, the proper number of States ratified the Amendment, and the 18th Amendment ceased to exist.

This was done by this country during prohibition. This is the standard by which we take care of the Constitution and the amendments thereon.

Our system of government is predictable on the rule of law and following procedure, but today's bill abandons that procedure of amendments to the Constitution in favor of politics.

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