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Council member calls D.C. statehood unlikely
| Source: |
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GW Hatchet (DC) |
| Date: |
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Tuesday, March 6, 2012 |
| Author: |
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Cydney Hargis |
Ward 2 D.C. Council member Jack Evans called any prospects for D.C. statehood a “long shot” Tuesday.
At a meeting with FRIENDS, a community group focused on fostering dialogue between neighbors and the University, the 58-year-old council member said the District is unlikely to become the 51st state, despite efforts by his colleagues on the legislative body who have been traveling across the country to gain national support for the statehood movement.
He said the District’s judiciary branch – authorized by Congress – would need to become independent to grant the city statehood but called that move too costly for D.C. to implement.
Obtaining voting rights for the District would be more likely than statehood, Evans said. D.C.’s delegate in Congress, Rep. Eleanor Holmes Norton, serves on and votes in committees in the House of Representatives and has the authority to introduce bills, but lacks the power to vote on legislation once it hits the House floor.
Evans also told local residents, who brought forward gripes regarding traffic at Washington Circle and street cleaning, that he would look into addressing their concerns.
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http://blogs.gwhatchet.com/newsroom/2012/03/06/council-membe r-calls-d-c-statehood-unlikely/
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