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R E S O L U T I O N
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WHEREAS, Since the ratification of the Constitution of the |
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United States on June 21, 1788, the Congress of the United States |
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has had the power "To exercise exclusive Legislation in all Cases |
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whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as |
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may, by Cession of particular States, and the Acceptance of |
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Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the United States;" |
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and |
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WHEREAS, The Seat of the Government of the United States was |
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accepted by the Congress of the United States on July 16, 1790 and |
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transferred from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to the District |
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on December 1, 1800 in accordance with the Residence Act of 1790, |
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and was organized into the District of Columbia under the entire |
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control of the Congress of the United States for every purpose of |
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Government on February 27, 1801 in accordance with the District of |
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Columbia Organic Act of 1801, through which the residents ceased to |
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be considered citizens of a state, no longer entitled to all the |
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rights, guaranties, and immunities of the Constitution of the |
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United States including, but not limited to: the right to appoint at |
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least three Electors in the Electoral College for President and |
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Vice President of the United States, the right to elect two Senators |
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and at least one Representative in the Congress of the United |
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States, and the right to self-govern and ratify proposed amendments |
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to the Constitution of the United States, despite continuing to pay |
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federal taxes, serve in the military, and share all other |
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responsibilities of citizenship of the United States; and |
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WHEREAS, A Twenty-Third Amendment to the Constitution of the |
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United States was proposed by the Congress of the United States on |
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June 16, 1960 and ratified by a sufficient number of states on March |
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29, 1961 granting "The District constituting the seat of Government |
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of the United States" the right to appoint "A number of electors of |
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President and Vice President equal to the whole number of Senators |
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and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be |
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entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least |
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populous State;" and |
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WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States granted a Delegate |
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to the House of Representatives from the District of Columbia, who |
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"shall have a seat in the House of Representatives, with the right |
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of debate, but not of voting," on September 22, 1970 in accordance |
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with the District of Columbia Delegate Act, (after previously |
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establishing the position on February 21, 1871 and repealing the |
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position on June 20, 1874); and |
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WHEREAS, Enactment of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act |
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by the Congress of the United States on December 24, 1973 and |
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ratification of the Charter Referendum by a majority of the voters |
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of the District of Columbia on May 7, 1974, re-organized the |
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District of Columbia by granting limited powers of local |
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self-government to an elected thirteen-member Council of the |
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District of Columbia and an elected Mayor of the District of |
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Columbia to "relieve Congress of the burden of legislating upon |
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essentially local District matters;" however, the Congress of the |
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United States granted no local control over the judiciary and |
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reserved "the right, at any time, to exercise its constitutional |
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authority as legislature for the District, by enacting legislation |
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for the District on any subject, whether within or without the scope |
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of legislative power granted to the Council... including |
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legislation to amend or repeal any law in force in the District;" |
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and |
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WHEREAS, Historically, the Congress of the United States and |
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the President of the United States have interfered with the |
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District of Columbia's local self-government and Home Rule by |
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enacting resolutions disapproving, amending, and repealing actions |
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of the Council of the District of Columbia and the Mayor of the |
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District of Columbia - including cases concerning the location of |
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chanceries on December 20, 1979, sexual assault reform on October |
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1, 1981, schedule of heights on March 12, 1991, and a revised |
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criminal code on March 20, 2023 - and by imposing budget riders that |
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control and limit the use of locally-raised tax revenue - including |
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cases concerning reproductive health services, cannabis use, and |
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statehood advocacy; and |
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WHEREAS, On multiple occasions, a majority of the voters of |
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the District of Columbia have approved initiatives and referendums |
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expressing their desire for statehood, most recently on November 8, |
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2016, through which 85.69% of voters 1) agreed that the District |
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should be admitted to the union as the State of Washington, D.C., 2) |
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approved the Constitution of the State of Washington, D.C., 3) |
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approved the proposed boundaries between the State of Washington, |
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D.C. and the federal enclave, and 4) agreed that the State of |
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Washington, D.C. shall guarantee an elected representative form of |
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government; and |
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WHEREAS, Other state and territorial legislatures in the |
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United States have introduced, debated, and passed resolutions that |
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support admitting Washington, D.C. into the Union as a state of the |
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United States of America; and |
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WHEREAS, Despite the Constitution of the United States |
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establishing that "New States may be admitted by the Congress into |
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this Union," and despite the United States House of Representatives |
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passing the Washington, D.C. Admission Act on June 26, 2020 and |
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again on April 22, 2021, which would declare Washington, D.C. to be |
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"a State of the United States of America, and is declared admitted |
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into the Union on an equal footing with the other States in all |
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respects whatever," the Congress of the United States has yet to |
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grant full statehood to the approximately 700,000 people of |
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Washington, D.C.; now, therefore, be it |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby support admitting Washington, D.C. into the |
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Union as a state of the United States of America; and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives of the 89th Texas |
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Legislature hereby oppose efforts by the Congress of the United |
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States and the President of the United States that interfere with |
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local self-government and Home Rule - including federal laws |
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disapproving, amending, and repealing actions of the Council of the |
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District of Columbia and the Mayor of the District of Columbia as |
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well as federal budget riders that control and limit the use of |
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locally-raised tax revenue - and calls on the Congress of the United |
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States and the President of the United States to enact federal |
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legislation granting statehood to the people of Washington, D.C.; |
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and, be it further |
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RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be sent to the |
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President of the United States, the Vice President of the United |
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States in their capacity as President of the United States Senate, |
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the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the |
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members of the Texas congressional delegation. |