[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 13 (Thursday, January 20, 2022)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E58]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




 INTRODUCTION OF THE DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA GOVERNMENT TITLE EQUALITY ACT

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                       HON. ELEANOR HOLMES NORTON

                      of the district of columbia

                    in the house of representatives

                       Thursday, January 20, 2022

  Ms. NORTON. Madam Speaker, today, I introduce the District of 
Columbia Government Title Equality Act. This bill would amend the D.C. 
Home Rule Act to redesignate the Mayor of the District of Columbia as 
the Governor, the D.C. Council as the Legislative Assembly, the D.C. 
Councilmembers as Representatives and the Chair of the Council as the 
Speaker. The new titles are the ones used in the State of Washington, 
Douglass Commonwealth constitution, which the District adopted in 2016 
in anticipation of passage of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, which 
would make D.C. the 51st state.
  I introduce this bill to highlight to the American people and Members 
of Congress that there would be a seamless transition to D.C. statehood 
because D.C. already operates as the functional equivalent of a state, 
providing state-, county- and city-level services, despite being denied 
voting representation in Congress and full local self-government.
  This bill would not change any D.C. legal authorities.
  This is an important step to provide greater equality for the 
District, and I urge my colleagues to support this bill.

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