Planned Parenthood Applauds U.S. Senate Introduction of D.C. Statehood Bill

Lack of Congressional Representation for District Residents Disenfranchises Large Population of Black Voters, Compromises Their Ability to Protect Their Health & Home, & Helps Uphold Systemic Racism in U.S. 

WASHINGTON — Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-DE) introduced the Washington, D.C. Admission Act in the U.S. Senate, historic legislation designed to admit the District of Columbia as the country’s 51st state. More than 712,000 people call the nation’s capital home — a population larger than that of some states. These residents pay federal taxes and serve in the armed forces, but are denied a voice in the U.S. Senate and a vote in the House of Representatives. This lack of representation has led to increased and unacceptable barriers to health care and other essential needs for District residents. Further, the executive branch denies them full autonomy over their own security — as we saw during this month’s violent insurrection. And, unlike any other jurisdiction in the country, all laws passed by D.C.’s council and signed by its mayor are subject to a 30-day congressional review period. 

Nearly half of District residents are Black and it would be the first state with a plurality of Black residents. The District’s lack of congressional representation and local autonomy contribute to the systemic minimizing of Black voices across all areas of policy — including health care — in the U.S. and in the District itself. The residents of Washington, D.C. deserve equal rights and they deserve to be heard — Congress must pass this critical legislation immediately.

Statement from Alexis McGill Johnson, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood Federation of America

“Denying the District of Columbia statehood leaves its residents without representation. It disenfranchises hundreds of thousands of people, a plurality of whom are Black, and prevents them from taking action on critical issues like reproductive and sexual health care, police violence, and other policy areas that affect their day-to-day lives. This was blatantly apparent during the violent insurrection at the U.S. Capitol, as white supremacists roamed the streets and residents were in danger, yet the city’s own security was not within its control. District residents’ health and lives are at risk, and we cannot allow their voices to be left out of the conversation any longer. We applaud Sen. Carper for following the tireless leadership of Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) and working to rectify this centuries-old wrong, and urge Congress to pass this legislation without delay.” 

Statement from Dr. Laura Meyers, president and CEO, Planned Parenthood of Metropolitan Washington, DC

“As a D.C. resident, along with my over 712,000 neighbors, I watched in horror as the U.S. Capitol was attacked by violent white supremacist insurrectionists while lack of statehood prevented D.C. from appropriately protecting its own community. D.C. residents deserve safety, security, and autonomy, particularly amid the country’s current struggle to deal with the COVID-19 pandemic and its long-overdue reckoning with systemic racism. There is no good reason why 712,000 Americans are disenfranchised and kept from having a voice at the table. District residents, not Congress, should decide on what happens in our city, whether that has to do with security, sexual and reproductive health care, gun violence, or any of the other policy issues states have the autonomy to address.”

Congressional oversight over the District has allowed members of Congress to treat it as a testing site for many harmful restrictions over the years. Congress consistently passes annual legislation prohibiting D.C. from using locally-raised tax dollars to cover abortion care for people enrolled in Medicaid, forcing many to pay out-of-pocket for essential health care services. Because of centuries of systemic racism, people who use Medicaid are disproportionately Black  — this D.C. Medicaid policy is part of the long history of denying Black people autonomy over their reproductive health care. This lack of autonomy has consequences: while white D.C. residents have a maternal mortality rate of almost zero, Black residents suffer a maternal mortality rate so high that the District has the fifth worst overall rate in the country — one more than 50% higher than the national average. 

The District’s lack of autonomy also invites overreach from the executive branch. Despite the locally-elected mayor’s urgent requests, the federal government did not initially provide needed security  to support the Capitol police during the violent insurrection earlier this month. The people of D.C. were forced to shelter in their homes as a mob took control of their streets. This stands in stark contrast with the Trump administration’s activation of the military this past summer to intimidate people protesting systemic racism and state-sanctioned violence against Black people. The District’s mayor was powerless to stop this deployment — the city’s occupation lasted several days. 

This egregious wrong cannot continue. District residents are demanding their rights; 86% of D.C. voters approved a 2016 referendum to seek statehood. We must listen. The only way to guarantee the residents of the District of Columbia receive equal representation and control their own destiny is to admit the District as the 51st state.

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Planned Parenthood is the nation’s leading provider and advocate of high-quality, affordable health care for women, men, and young people, as well as the nation’s largest provider of sex education. With more than 600 health centers across the country, Planned Parenthood organizations serve all patients with care and compassion, with respect and without judgment. Through health centers, programs in schools and communities, and online resources, Planned Parenthood is a trusted source of reliable health information that allows people to make informed health decisions. We do all this because we care passionately about helping people lead healthier lives.