IFPTE Urges Congress to Stand Up for D.C.’s Working Families and Vote to Support Statehood
April 19, 2021
Dear Representative,
As the Executive Officers of the International Federation of Professional and Technical Engineers (IFPTE), we are writing regarding this week’s House consideration of H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, to grant Statehood to the citizens of Washington, D.C. IFPTE urges you to vote in support of this legislation.
It is well known that labor unions are among the most democratic organizations in the United States. All of our members are given the opportunity to run for office, our candidates campaign, and our leaders are elected directly by the dues paying members of the union. In turn, the elected leadership of the union vote on and advocate for the issues of importance that impact their constituencies. Through this process, the members of the union not only see that their voices are being heard and respected, but also that their dues are supporting their democratically-run union.
It is democracy at its best, something that IFPTE and our Locals throughout the United States and Canada hold sacrosanct. However, unlike members of labor unions, the citizens of Washington, D.C. do not enjoy this same type of democracy.
More than 712,000 people call Washington, D.C. home, representing a higher population than two states (Wyoming and Vermont). These are hard-working Americans who serve the public each day as federal employees, city workers, and in private sector industries such as health care, retail, food, hospitality, and non-profit. Many of these D.C. residents come from families who have lived in the District for generations, including families who migrated from the South to escape slavery and Jim Crow. These D.C. residents are federal taxpayers who pay more in total tax to the federal government than 21 other states. In fact, D.C. taxpayers are number one in the nation when it comes to per capita federal taxes paid. Despite this incredible contribution to the federal treasury and the rich history that defines the District’s unique culture, residents still do not have a vote in Congress because D.C. is not a State.
Also problematic is the fact that Congressional lawmakers can intervene in internal, local-level D.C. policy making. Sadly, this is not a theoretical notion. We have seen this occur several times over the last many years with federal lawmakers in Congress who have an ideological ax to grind imposing measures on the city that its residents have either never approved of, or have approved of, but are later overturned though Congressional lawmaking.
Opponents of D.C. Statehood have argued that such a move would be unconstitutional. Fortunately for them H.R. 51 addresses their concerns directly by maintaining a 2 square mile federal district encompassing the White House, Capitol, Supreme Court, major monuments, and the National Mall.
D.C. Statehood is long overdue. Please stand up for democracy for all of our nation’s citizens, including District residents, by voting in support of H.R. 51.