Political Quotes

“Mr. Speaker, today I rise in opposition to H.R. 51. Voting against this legislation is not an economic, racial, or a social injustice, as my colleagues across the aisle may unfairly claim. I have no doubt that my Democratic friends, just like Republicans, want the citizens of Washington to have political rights like every other American. However, let's talk about what is honest here. Let's just be honest. The true goal here is to have two virtually guaranteed new Democratic seats so that D.C. can become a State. That is what it comes down to. That is the goal. Why do I say that? Because there is a much simpler alternative that I am baffled that the Democrats do not want anything to do with. I offered an amendment to this bill that would retrocede the District of Columbia back to Maryland. That is where the land came from. Congress ceded the west side of the Potomac, now Alexandria, from the District of Columbia back to Virginia in 1847. So there is plenty of historical precedent for this action. Unfortunately, despite making total sense, my amendment was, sadly, blocked. If D.C. were ceded back to Maryland, citizens can vote for Members of the House of Representatives and Senate in Maryland. They would have congressional representation in both Chambers, with the exact effect of statehood. The move is simply unnecessary, when ceding D.C. back to Maryland is a viable, cost-effective, and commonsense option.…”