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SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1494 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2472
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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PRESENTED BY:
Patricia D. Jehlen
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To the Honorable Senate and House of Representatives of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts in General
Court assembled:
The undersigned legislators and/or citizens respectfully petition for the adoption of the accompanying
resolution:
Resolutions proclaiming that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts supports admitting
Washington, D.C. into the Union as a state of the United States of America.
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PETITION OF:
NAME:DISTRICT/ADDRESS :Patricia D. JehlenSecond MiddlesexJames B. EldridgeMiddlesex and Worcester1/27/2025Dylan A. FernandesPlymouth and Barnstable1/31/2025 1 of 4
SENATE DOCKET, NO. 1494 FILED ON: 1/16/2025
SENATE . . . . . . . . . . . . . . No. 2472
By Ms. Jehlen, a petition (accompanied by resolutions, Senate, No. 2472) of Patricia D. Jehlen,
James B. Eldridge and Dylan A. Fernandes for the adoption of resolutions proclaiming that the
Commonwealth of Massachusetts supports admitting Washington, D.C. into the Union as a state
of the United States of America. Veterans and Federal Affairs.
The Commonwealth of Massachusetts
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In the One Hundred and Ninety-Fourth General Court
(2025-2026)
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Resolutions proclaiming that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts supports admitting
Washington, D.C. into the Union as a state of the United States of America.
1 Whereas, Since the ratification of the Constitution of the United States on June 21, 1788,
2the Congress of the United States has had the power To exercise exclusive Legislation in all
3Cases whatsoever, over such District (not exceeding ten Miles square) as may, by Cession of
4particular States, and the Acceptance of Congress, become the Seat of the Government of the
5United States; and
6 Whereas, The Seat of the Government of the United States was accepted by the Congress
7of the United States on July 16, 1790 and transferred from the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania
8to the District on December 1, 1800 in accordance with the Residence Act of 1790, and was
9organized into the District of Columbia under the entire control of the Congress of the United
10States for every purpose of Government on February 27, 1801 in accordance with the District of
11Columbia Organic Act of 1801, through which the residents ceased to be considered citizens of a
12state, no longer entitled to all the rights, guaranties, and immunities of the Constitution of the
13United States including, but not limited to: the right to appoint at least three Electors in the 2 of 4
14Electoral College for President and Vice President of the United States, the right to elect two
15Senators and at least one Representative in the Congress of the United States, and the right to
16self-govern and ratify proposed amendments to the Constitution of the United States, despite
17continuing to pay federal taxes, serve in the military, and share all other responsibilities of
18citizenship of the United States; and
19 Whereas, A Twenty-Third Amendment to the Constitution of the United States was
20proposed by the Congress of the United States on June 16, 1960 and ratified by a sufficient
21number of states on March 29, 1961 granting The District constituting the seat of Government of
22the United States the right to appoint A number of electors of President and Vice President equal
23to the whole number of Senators and Representatives in Congress to which the District would be
24entitled if it were a State, but in no event more than the least populous State; and
25 Whereas, The Congress of the United States granted a Delegate to the House of
26Representatives from the District of Columbia, who shall have a seat in the House of
27Representatives, with the right of debate, but not of voting, on September 22, 1970 in accordance
28with the District of Columbia Delegate Act, (after previously establishing the position on
29February 21, 1871 and repealing the position on June 20, 1874); and
30 Whereas, Enactment of the District of Columbia Home Rule Act by the Congress of the
31United States on December 24, 1973 and ratification of the Charter Referendum by a majority of
32the voters of the District of Columbia on May 7, 1974, re-organized the District of Columbia by
33granting limited powers of local self-government to an elected thirteen-member Council of the
34District of Columbia and an elected Mayor of the District of Columbia to relieve Congress of the
35burden of legislating upon essentially local District matters; however, the Congress of the United 3 of 4
36States granted no local control over the judiciary and reserved the right, at any time, to exercise
37its constitutional authority as legislature for the District, by enacting legislation for the District
38on any subject, whether within or without the scope of legislative power granted to the
39Council… including legislation to amend or repeal any law in force in the District; and
40 Whereas, Historically, the Congress of the United States and the President of the United
41States have interfered with the District of Columbia’s local self-government and Home Rule by
42enacting resolutions disapproving, amending, and repealing actions of the Council of the District
43of Columbia and the Mayor of the District of Columbia – including cases concerning the location
44of chanceries on December 20, 1979, sexual assault reform on October 1, 1981, schedule of
45heights on March 12, 1991, and a revised criminal code on March 20, 2023 – and by imposing
46budget riders that control and limit the use of locally-raised tax revenue – including cases
47concerning reproductive health services, cannabis use, and statehood advocacy; and
48 Whereas, On multiple occasions, a majority of the voters of the District of Columbia have
49approved initiatives and referendums expressing their desire for statehood, most recently on
50November 8, 2016, through which 85.69% of voters 1) agreed that the District should be
51admitted to the union as the State of Washington, D.C., 2) approved the Constitution of the State
52of Washington, D.C., 3) approved the proposed boundaries between the State of Washington,
53D.C. and the federal enclave, and 4) agreed that the State of Washington, D.C. shall guarantee an
54elected representative form of government; and
55 Whereas, Other state and territorial legislatures in the United States have introduced,
56debated, and passed resolutions that support admitting Washington, D.C. into the Union as a
57state of the United States of America; and 4 of 4
58 Whereas, Despite the Constitution of the United States establishing that New States may
59be admitted by the Congress into this Union, and despite the United States House of
60Representatives passing the Washington, D.C. Admission Act on June 26, 2020 and again on
61April 22, 2021, which would declare Washington, D.C. to be a State of the United States of
62America, and is declared admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the other States in all
63respects whatever, the Congress of the United States has yet to grant full statehood to the
64approximately 700,000 people of Washington, D.C.; be it therefore
65 Resolved, that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts supports admitting Washington,
66D.C. into the Union as a state of the United States of America; and be it further
67 Resolved, that the Commonwealth of Massachusetts opposes efforts by the Congress of
68the United States and the President of the United States that interfere with local self-government
69and Home Rule – including federal laws disapproving, amending, and repealing actions of the
70Council of the District of Columbia and the Mayor of the District of Columbia as well as federal
71budget riders that control and limit the use of locally-raised tax revenue – and calls on the
72Congress of the United States and the President of the United States to enact federal legislation
73granting statehood to the people of Washington, D.C.; and be it further
74 Resolved, that copies of this resolution be sent to the President of the United States, the
75Vice President of the United States in their capacity as President of the United States Senate, the
76Speaker of the United States House of Representatives, and the members of the Massachusetts
77congressional delegation.