Day 90: Biden Backs Statehood
With ten days left the Office of Management and Budget backs DC Statehood. “The Administration strongly supports H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act,” they said, via a statement of administration policy.
“This taxation without representation and denial of self governance is an affront to the democratic values on which our Nation was founded… Washington, D.C. has a robust economy, a rich culture, and a diverse population of Americans from all walks of life who are entitled to full and equal participation in our democracy.”
The House of Representatives is set to debate the bill Thursday. “[W]e will make the case that Congress has the constitutional authority to admit the State of Washington, D.C., and that the state would meet all of the traditional elements Congress has considered in admission decisions,” nonvoting Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) said. This bill currently has 216 cosponsors.
“For now, it is sufficient to note that, throughout its existence, the United States has flattered itself as a democracy, even though it is the only democratic country that denies voting representation in the national legislature to the residents of the capital.”
The statements came just hours before the jury delivered a guilty verdict on all charges in the trial about the death of George Floyd, including second degree unintentional murder and third-degree murder. Judge Peter Cahill revoked bail and said Derek Chauvin may expect sentencing in eight weeks.
“We are all part of George Floyd’s legacy and our job is to honor it and honor him,” Vice President Kamala Harris said, reiterating their commitment to the George Floyd Justice and Policing Act, during a press conference at the White House today. “This bill is part of George Floyd’s legacy.”
“Here’s the truth about racial injustice,” she added, “it’s not just a Black American problem… it is a problem for all of us.” Although Chauvin was not charged with a hate crime, both she and President Joe Biden spoke about the suffering of African Americans.
“Enough,” Biden said. “Enough of the senseless killing. …This is a time for our country to come together, to unite as Americans. There can never be any safe harbor for hate in America.”
“The battle for the soul of this nation has been a constant push and pull for more than 240 years, a tug of war between the American ideal that we’re all created equal and the harsh reality that racism has long pulled us apart…
“I can’t breathe. Those were George Floyd’s last words. We can’t let those words die with him. We have to keep hearing those words. We must not turn away we can’t turn away we have a chance to change the trajectory in this country. It’s my hope and prayer that we live up to the legacy… This can be a moment of significant change.”
A somber day, Biden also delivered a statement about the death of former Vice President Walter Frederick “Fritz” Mondale. “Today, our Nation mourns the loss of one of our Nation’s most dedicated patriots and public servants,” he said via proclamation to keep the flags on federal properties at half staff in his honor, until the day of his internment.
“Mondale defined the modern vice presidency, elevating the position into a true partnership with the President,” he added, noting that he was the first Presidential nominee of any party to select a woman as his running mate, when he secured the Democratic nomination in 1984.
Before he served with President Jimmy Carter, Mondale served the people of Minnesota as Attorney General and Senator. He was later appointed as United States Ambassador to Japan.