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MOREOVER, STATEHOOD IS A LOGICAL EXTENSION OF THE

SELF-DETERMINATION MOVEMENT FOR HOME RULE AND FULL VOTING

REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS.

FOR ONE, THE HOME RULE CHARTER

WHICH WAS ADOPTED IN DECEMBER OF 1973 LEFT SOME MAJOR UNFINISHED BUSINESS. THIS UNFINISHED BUSINESS IS REPRESENTED BY SEVERAL BILLS PENDING BEFORE CONGRESS. THE OBJECTIVES OF THESE BILLS

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THE ACHIEVEMENT OF EACH OF THESE OBJECTIVES WOULD BE ACCOMPLISHED THROUGH STATEHOOD. STATEHOOD IS ALSO THE LOGICAL NEXT STEP TOWARD ACHIEVING FULL VOTING REPRESENTATION IN CONGRESS., THE DECADES-OLD QUEST FOR VOTING REPRESENTATION RECEIVED MAJOR MOMENTUM FROM THE CAMPAIGN FOR PASSAGE OF A CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT DURING THE 1970'S AND EARLY 1980'S. IN 1978, FOR THE FIRST TIME IN HISTORY AND BY A MARGIN OF TWO-THIRDS OF THE HOUSE AND TWO-THIRDS OF THE SENATE BOTH BODIES OF THE CONGRESS WENT ON RECORD BY VOTING FOR FULL VOTING REPRESENTATION FOR THE CITIZENS OF THE DISTRICT. IN ADDITION, AT LEAST ONE HOUSE OF THE LEGISLATURES OF OVER HALF OF THE STATES ALSO SUPPORTED THE AMENDMENT. ALTHOUGH THE AMENDMENT WAS NOT RATIFIED BY THE REQUIRED NUMBER OF STATES, THE POTENTIAL FOR LONG RANGE SUCCESS OF THE SELF-DETERMINATION MOVEMENT WAS CLEARLY ESTABLISHED

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DURING THE NATIONWIDE EDUCATIONAL AND ORGANIZATIONAL EFFORTS OF THE CAMPAIGN FOR THE VOTING RIGHTS AMENDMENTS.

EVEN MORE IMPORTANT TO SELF-DETERMINATION MOVEMENT MOMENTUM, HOWEVER, HAS BEEN THE DISTRICT'S ACCOMPLISHMENTS UNDER ITS DECADE OF HOME RULE GOVERNMENT. WORKING UNDER THE HOME RULE CHARTER AS ADOPTED IN 1973, THE DISTRICT HAS EXPERIENCED GROWTH IN ADMINISTRATIVE ACCOMPLISHMENTS. THERE HAVE ALSO BEEN POST-CHARTER INCREMENTS IN HOME RULE AUTHORITY. THE INCREMENTS OF HOME RULE AUTHORITY ARE HIGHLIGHTED BY THE SO-CALLED CHADHA LEGISLATION WHICH STRENGTHENED LOCAL GOVERNMENT THROUGH THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A VETO PROCEDURE WHICH REQUIRES INVOLVEMENT OF THE HOUSE, THE SENATE, AND THE PRESIDENT TO REJECT DISTRICT

LEGISLATION.

STATEHOOD MERGES THE DUAL CONCERNS FOR HOME RULE AND VOTING REPRESENTATION. IT PROVIDES THE BEST MEANS FOR OUR GREAT NATION

TO ADDRESS ITS MORAL RESPONSIBILITY TO PROVIDE FULL VOTING RIGHTS AND LOCAL CONTROL OF LOCAL AFFAIRS TO THE CITIZENS OF WASHINGTON, D. C. --THE SAME RIGHTS ENJOYED BY ALL OTHER U.S. CITIZENS.

SUPPORT FOR STATEHOOD HAS BEEN STEADILY EVOLVING AT THE NATIONAL AND LOCAL LEVEL, AND NOW INCLUDES SUCH SIGNIFICANT GROUPS AS THE DEMOCRATIC NATIONAL COMMITTEE, AMERICANS FOR DEMOCRATIC ACTION, THE NATIONAL ORGANIZATION FOR WOMEN, THE AMERICAN JEWISH CONGRESS, AND THE METROPOLITAN WASHINGTON COUNCIL-AFL-CIO, TO NAME A FEW. THE MOST RECENT ORGANIZATION TO ENDORSE STATEHOOD IS THE LEADERSHIP CONFERENCE ON CIVIL RIGHTS (LCCR). THE LCCR'S 185 MEMBER NATIONAL AND LOCAL ORGANIZATION

BASE REPRESENTS HUNDREDS OF THOUSANDS OF CITIZENS, FROM EVERY STATE IN THE UNION, COVERING A MAJORITY OF CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICTS ACROSS THE COUNTRY. THE LCCR'S ENDORSEMENT ON MARCH 31 OF THIS YEAR ALONG WITH THE GROWING NUMBER OF ENDORSEMENTS OF SELF-DETERMINATION COALITION MEMBER ORGANIZATIONS PROVIDES

EXPANDING CREDIBILITY AND NATIONAL NETWORK SUPPORT FOR
STATEHOOD. IT IS CLEARLY TIME TO PRESS FORWARD PURPOSEFULLY
TOWARD SHORT-TERM GOALS TO:

HEIGHTEN THE ATTENTION OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS TO THE
STATEHOOD ISSUE

BROADEN THE BI-PARTISAN SUPPORT BASE FOR STATEHOOD

MOVE TOWARD A PRECEDENT-SETTING COMMITTEE VOTE ON

STATEHOOD, AND POSSIBLY A FLOOR VOTE.

AS YOU ARE AWARE, A SIMILAR STAGED APPROACH WAS USED IN GAINING COMMITTEE AND FLOOR ACTION DURING THE HOME RULE AND VOTING RIGHTS CAMPAIGNS. THE TWO CAMPAIGN EFFORTS INVOLVED A NUMBER OF UNSUCCESSFUL "TEST VOTES" SPANNING MORE THAN ONE CONGRESS BEFORE VICTORY WAS WON. IN EACH INSTANCE WHERE VOTES WERE TAKEN --WIN OR LOSE--IMPORTANT GROUNDWORK WAS LAID FOR THE NEXT STEP IN THE

PROCESS.

IN CONCLUSION, I BELIEVE THAT THE STATEHOOD CONSTITUTION, WITH THE ADDITION OF THE PROPOSED AMENDMENTS IS A SOUND DOCUMENT. ALTHOUGH SOME MIGHT DISAGREE OVER ONE PROVISION OR ANOTHER, IT IS MORE IMPORTANT TO ACCOMPLISH THE INSTITUTIONAL AND POLITICAL REFORM WHICH STATEHOOD WOULD ACCOMPLISH THAN TO ENGAGE IN UNENDING DEBATE WHICH COULD REASONABLY BE

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CHARACTERIZED AS NIT-PICKING.

I FOR ONE AM REASSURED IN KNOWING

THAT THE CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENT PROCESS WOULD ALWAYS BE AN OPTION AVAILABLE TO THE RESIDENTS OF THE STATE OF NEW COLUMBIA AS IT IS TO THE CITIZENS OF VERY OTHER STATE.

MR. CHAIRMAN, ON BEHALF OF THE STATEHOOD COMMITTEE, I WANT TO THANK YOU FOR YOUR PERSEVERANCE IN PRESSING FORWARD ON THE STATEHOOD ISSUE. I ALSO TAKE THIS OPPORTUNITY TO OFFER THE ASSISTANCE OF THE STATEHOOD COMMITTEE IN CONTINUING TO PROMOTE THE IMPORTANCE OF THE STATEHOOD ISSUE. STATEHOOD IS THE KEY TO ACHIEVING POLITICAL EQUALITY FOR DISTRICT RESIDENTS, AND TO FULFILLING OUR NATIONAL COMMITMENT ΤΟ DEMOCRACY,

SELF-DETERMINATION AND FULL ENFRANCHISEMENT FOR ALL OUR CITIZENS.

Mr. BARNES. Thank you, Mr. Greenberg. I know that Congressman Fauntroy enthusiastically welcomes this testimony in recalling the effort to secure passage of the D.C. voting rights amendment by a vote of two-thirds of the House and Senate. It was certainly the role of the Self-Determination Coalition and others that made the difference, and so I know that the Congressman welcomes the statehood committee of the D.C. Self-Determination Coalition going on record in support of this cause, and your testimony as to the growing number of those who are endorsing this effort suggested that we are on our way.

The Congressman did want me to ask that the recent news release by the Democratic National Committee be made a part of the record and to just quickly read the statement by the chairman of the Democratic National Committee, Mr. Paul Kirk.

As Chairman of the Democratic National Committee, I enthusiastically support passage of H.R. 325, a bill to admit the District of Columbia as the 51st State of the Union. I urge members of the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate to swiftly enact this important piece of legislation to ensure that every citizen of this Nation enjoys full voting representation in the Congress of the United States. The issue of statehood for the District of Columbia transcends party lines, and many Democrats and Republicans alike support this effort to grant to the citizens of the District of Columbia voting representation in the U.S. House of Representatives and the U.S. Senate.

Currently the citizens of the District of Columbia do not have voting representation in the U.S. Congress as do other citizens in the 50 States. The citizens of the District of Columbia have clearly and unequivocally spoken on this issue, and through the initiative process have expressed their strong desire for statehood.

The Council of the District of Columbia has passed a resolution expressing its support for statehood. The Democratic Party stands firm with the citizens of the District of Columbia, and supports their efforts to become the 51st State of the United States. And, so as these important endorsements come in, I think that the prospects for passage of a statehood bill are enhanced.

[The news release follows:]

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