Session of 2024
Senate Resolution No. 1740
By Senators Holscher, Corson, Faust-Goudeau, Francisco, Haley, Pettey, Pittman
and Sykes
2-15
A RESOLUTION supporting the admission of Washington, District of
Columbia, into the union as a state of the United States of America.
WHEREAS, Since ratifying the Constitution of the United States on
June 21, 1788, the Congress of the United States has held the exclusive
legislative power, in all cases whatsoever, over a district not exceeding 10
square miles, to become the seat of the United States government through
the cession of particular states and the acceptance of the Congress of the
United States; and
WHEREAS, On July 16, 1790, the Congress of the United States
chose Philadelphia, Pennsylvania as the location for the seat of
government; and
WHEREAS, On December 1, 1800, the seat of government of the
United States was transferred from the commonwealth of Pennsylvania
to the District of Columbia, in accordance with the Residence Act of
1790; and
WHEREAS, On February 27, 1801, the District of Columbia was
organized under the entire control of the Congress of the United States for
every purpose of government, in accordance with the District of
Columbia Organic Act of 1801, and consequently, the residents of the
District of Columbia ceased to be considered citizens of a state; and
WHEREAS, Despite continuing to pay federal taxes, serving in the
military and sharing all other responsibilities of citizenship of the United
States, the residents of the District of Columbia lost its entitlement to all
rights, guaranties and immunities of the Constitution of the United States;
and
WHEREAS, Such rights included the right to appoint at least three
electors in the electoral college for the President and Vice President of the
United States, the right to elect two senators and at least one
representative in the Congress of the United States and the right to self-
govern and ratify proposed amendments to the Constitution of the United
States; and
WHEREAS, On July 16, 1960, the 23
rd
Amendment of the
Constitution of the United States was proposed by the Congress of the
United States; and
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WHEREAS, On March 29, 1961, the 23
rd
Amendment was ratified by
a sufficient number of states; and
WHEREAS, The 23
rd
Amendment granted the District of Columbia
the right to appoint electors for the President and Vice President of the
United States. The number of electors would be equal to the total number
of senators and representatives to which the District of Columbia would
be entitled in the Congress of the United States if it were a state, but
never exceeding the representation of the least populous state; and
WHEREAS, On September 22, 1970, after previously establishing the
position on February 21, 1871, and repealing the position on June 20,
1874, the Congress of the United States granted a delegate to the House
of Representatives from the District of Columbia, with the right of debate
but not of voting, in accordance with the District of Columbia Delegate
Act; and
WHEREAS, On December 24, 1973, the Congress of the United
States enacted the District of Columbia Home Rule Act; and
WHEREAS, On May 7, 1974, a majority of votes ratified the Charter
Referendum, which re-organized the District of Columbia by granting
limited powers of local self-government to an elected 13-member council
and an elected mayor of the District of Columbia in order to relieve the
Congress of the United States of the burden of legislating upon
essentially local matters; and
WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States, without granting local
control over the judiciary, reserved the right to enact legislation for the
District of Columbia at any time, exercising its constitutional authority as
the legislature. This legislation could cover any subject, regardless of
whether it fell within or outside the council of the District of Columbia's
granted legislative power, including the amendment or repeal of existing
laws in the District of Columbia; and
WHEREAS, Historically, the Congress of the United States and the
President of the United States have interfered with the District of
Columbia's local self-government and home rule by enacting resolutions
disapproving, amending and repealing actions of the council and the
mayor of the District of Columbia; and
WHEREAS, Cases of such interference include the location of
chanceries on December 20, 1979, sexual assault reform on October 1,
1981, schedule of heights on March 12, 1991 and a revised criminal code
on March 20, 2023; and
WHEREAS, The Congress of the United States and the President of
the United States have imposed budget riders that control and limit the
use of locally raised tax revenue in cases concerning reproductive health
services, cannabis use and statehood advocacy; and
WHEREAS, On multiple occasions, a majority of the voters of the
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District of Columbia have approved initiatives and referendums
expressing their desire for statehood; and
WHEREAS, On November 8, 2016, 85.69% of voters approved the
admission of the District of Columbia into the union as the state of
Washington, District of Columbia. The voters also approved the
Constitution of the state of Washington, District of Columbia, the
proposed boundaries between the state of Washington, District of
Columbia, and the federal enclave and agreed that the state of
Washington, District of Columbia, shall ensure a government with elected
representatives; and
WHEREAS, Other state and territorial legislatures in the United States
have introduced, debated and passed resolutions supporting the admission
of Washington, District of Columbia, into the union as a state of the
United States of America; and
WHEREAS, Despite the Constitution of the United States allowing
for the admission of new states into the union by the Congress of the
United States, the United States House of Representatives passed the
Washington, D.C. Admission Act on June 26, 2020, and again on April
22, 2021, which would declare Washington, District of Columbia, as a
state. However, the approximately 700,000 residents of Washington,
District of Columbia, have yet to be granted full statehood by the
Congress of the United States: Now, therefore,
Be it resolved by the Senate of the State of Kansas: That the state of
Kansas supports the admission of Washington, District of Columbia, into
the union as a state of the United States of America; and
Be it further resolved: That the state of Kansas opposes efforts by the
Congress of the United States and the President of the United States to
interfere with local self-government and home rule of the District of
Columbia. These efforts include federal laws that disapprove, amend and
repeal actions of the council and the mayor of the District of Columbia, as
well as federal budget riders that control and limit the use of locally
raised tax revenue; and
Be it further resolved: That the state of Kansas calls on the Congress
of the United States and the President of the United States to enact federal
legislation granting statehood to the people of Washington, District of
Columbia; and
Be it further resolved: That the Secretary of the Senate shall send
enrolled copies of this resolution to the President of the United States, the
Vice President of the United States operating as President of the United
States Senate, the Speaker of the United States House of Representatives,
the members of the Kansas congressional delegation and Senator
Holscher.
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