Nine Democrats Vote with GOP to End D.C.’s Sanctuary City Status as Condition for Statehood

The skyline of Washington, DC, including the US Capitol building, Washington Monument, Lin
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Sean Moran

Nine House Democrats voted with Republicans to end Washington, DC’s sanctuary city status as a condition for statehood.

As the House prepared to vote on H.R. 51 — the Washington, DC, Admission Act — Rep. Fred Keller (R-PA) offered a motion to recommit. Keller’s motion to recommit would send the bill back to the House Oversight and Reform Committee with some amendments. The amendments would include:

  • D.C. could not defund their police department.
  • D.C. could not allow for the creation of an autonomous zone such as the Seattle, Washington, Capitol Hill Autonomous Zone (CHAZ).
  • D.C. must protect its national monuments and memorials.
  • Cannot use taxpayers’ funds on campaigns.
  • Washington, DC, must guarantee Washontonians’ 2nd Amendment rights.
  • D.C. cannot establish itself as a sanctuary state for illegal immigrants.

Democrats blocked the motion with 182 votes in favor of the motion to recommit and 227 votes against the measure.

Even though most Democrats voted against the measure, nine Democrats voted in favor of Keller’s amendment.

The nine Democrats include:

  1. Rep. Anthony Brindisi (D-NY)
  2. Rep. Angie Craig (D-MN)
  3. Joe Cunningham (D-SC)
  4. Jared Golden (D-ME)
  5. Rep. Conor Lamb (D-PA)
  6. Kendra Horn (D-OK)
  7. Ben McAdams (D-UT)
  8. Collin Peterson (D-MN)
  9. Xochitl Torres Small (D-NM)

Many of these Democrats represent pivotal swing districts that President Donald Trump won in the 2016 presidential election, but House Democrats managed to flip during the 2018 midterm elections.

Republicans only need to take a net 17 seats to regain the House majority.

Keller said on the House floor on Friday that making the District of Columbia a state would grant the city too much power and influence over other states. He explained:

A state with a controlling influence over the federal government and capitol is not on even footing with the 50 states. It is above them. A vote for the majority’s designers for D.C. statehood is a vote for D.C. superiority. The Founders recognized the status of Washington, DC; House Republicans do not support deviation from their vision.

“However, if the Democrats insist on creating this new state, it is only fair that it be established as a state with policy values that more closely reflect the rest of the country,” he added.

Sean Moran is a congressional reporter for Breitbart News. Follow him on Twitter @SeanMoran3.

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