"It should be clear to everyone that Congress cannot, Congress should not nullify a constitutional provision by simple legislation."
"I don't believe the Founding Fathers actually intended this."
"There should be no taxation without representation."
"the real power grab is denying 712,000 taxpaying American citizens the right to vote."
"D.C. residents should not have to abandon our homes and move elsewhere to secure the rights of citizens enjoyed by others."
"We are more than capable of governing ourselves."
"D.C. would be the only state in the entire country to have the Federal Government pick up billions and billions of annual dollars in expenses each year."
"The text only refers to, and I'll quote: 'The district constituting the seat of government.'"
"It does not. It says nothing. Those are the words. It says nothing about characteristics of the new states."
"I urge all of you to do what over two centuries of lawmakers have failed to correct and grant full democracy to D.C. residents through statehood."
"H.R. 51 will move us closer to our shared ideals for which District residents have fought and died."