"D.C. deserves to become the 51 st state, and I introduce this resolution to name May 1 st , or 5/1 Statehood Day for this very reason." The resolution also calls on Congress to pass the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51 and S. 51).
Norton reaffirms her push for D.C. statehood by introducing a resolution designating Statehood Day and calling on Congress to pass the Washington, D.C. Admission Act.
Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today introduced a resolution to designate today, May 1, 2026, as “D.C. Statehood Day” and calling for statehood for the nation’s capital through enactment of her Washington, D.C. Admission Act.
Norton reaffirmed her commitment to D.C. statehood by introducing a resolution calling for enactment of her Washington, D.C. Admission Act.
Norton reiterated that Congress should pass her D.C. statehood bill in the context of opposing anti-home-rule riders in the FY2027 D.C. appropriations bill.
Pending passage and enactment of her D.C. statehood bill, Norton introduces legislation to reduce the federal government’s control over local D.C. matters and to expand D.C. equality.
The release repeats Norton's expectation and commitment that her D.C. statehood bill should pass and be enacted.
Why D.C. Should Be A State ... The Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51) is constitutional
Norton's official page reiterates support for D.C. statehood through the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, arguing that D.C. should be admitted as a state and that H.R. 51 is constitutional.
That is wrong and it needs to change. This January, with a new Democratic House Majority, Congresswoman Norton introduced the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51), which would admit the District as the 51st state, granting our 700,000 taxpaying residents full voting rights and full self-government. Norton predicts that H.R. 51 will pass the House of Representatives sometime in 2020.
Norton's official House page reiterates her commitment to D.C. statehood through her Washington, D.C. Admission Act and says the bill should change D.C.'s lack of representation and self-government.
Ms. Norton ... introduced the following bill ... A BILL To provide for the admission of the State of Washington, D.C. into the Union.
Norton introduced H.R. 1291, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, committing to D.C. statehood by providing for Washington, D.C. to be admitted into the Union as a state.
Sponsor: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (Introduced 01/03/2025). Latest Action: House - 01/03/2025 Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, and in addition to other committees, for consideration. Tracker: status Introduced.
The D.C. statehood bill remains at the introduced stage with no enactment or chamber passage, which supports an unresolved assessment rather than delivery.
April 23, 2026 latest news: Norton Statement on Markup & Committee Passage of D.C. Appropriations Bill. Norton said the anti-home rule riders in the D.C. spending bill "still remain in the bill" and continue to show why statehood is needed.
Recent official messaging shows Norton is still arguing for statehood because Congress has not removed federal control over D.C. The claim remains unresolved; there is no sign of passage of her statehood bill in the lookback window.
“D.C. deserves to become the 51st state, and I introduce this resolution to name May 1st, or 5/1 ‘Statehood Day’ for this very reason.” The resolution text says Congress has the constitutional authority to pass the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51 and S. 51) and that the House resolution calls on Congress to pass the Act.
In the lookback window, Norton is still publicly pressing Congress to pass her D.C. statehood bill rather than reporting that it has passed. This supports an unresolved assessment.
Norton said the remaining anti-D.C. provisions in the FY 2027 D.C. appropriations bill “demonstrate the need for D.C. statehood” so residents have the same decision-making power over local policies as state residents.
This shows Congress continued to regulate D.C. without consent during the period, which is evidence against the statehood claim being delivered and in favor of it remaining unresolved.
Norton said a new D.C. National Guard brigade “underscores the need for Congress to pass her bill” giving the D.C. mayor control of the Guard, and added that until D.C. gets the full protections that statehood would provide, her bill is still needed.
While not the statehood bill itself, this is a contemporaneous official statement reflecting that Norton still treats D.C. self-governance as pending and unmet. It supports unresolved status rather than delivery.
The press release says, “Pending passage and enactment of her D.C. statehood bill, Norton introduces legislation to reduce the federal government’s control over local D.C. matters and to expand D.C. equality.”
This confirms Norton was still acting on the premise that her statehood bill had not yet been enacted. It does not show passage, so the claim remains unresolved.
Norton said, “In June of 2019, our D.C. statehood bill passed the House for the first time … and passed again in April of 2021.”
This is useful historical context: the House previously passed statehood bills, but that history predates the current term and does not indicate enactment. It reinforces that the specific promise remains unresolved in the current lookback window.
On May 22, Norton introduced a Memorial Day resolution for D.C. servicemembers and veterans that ties their full rights to statehood and says the answer is enactment of her Washington, D.C. Admission Act.
This is a fresh official May 2026 action showing Norton is still actively pressing Congress to enact her statehood bill rather than reporting success. It supports an unresolved assessment, not delivery.
On June 11, Norton's site said she was seeking answers about D.C. National Guard conduct, noted that the president controls the DCNG, and said she has introduced legislation to give D.C.'s mayor the same authority governors have over their Guard units.
This is not H.R. 51 itself, but it is concrete June 2026 evidence that Norton is still pursuing D.C. self-government legislation. In context, it supports the inference that the broader statehood promise remains pending and unresolved.
Sponsor: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (Introduced 01/03/2025). Latest Action: House - 01/03/2025 referred to House committees. Tracker: This bill has the status Introduced; steps remaining include Passed House, Passed Senate, To President, Became Law.
Norton introduced the current D.C. statehood bill, but Congress.gov shows it remains only introduced, with no House passage, Senate passage, or enactment as of the available record.
Sponsor: Sen. Van Hollen, Chris [D-MD] (Introduced 01/09/2025). Latest Action: Senate - 01/09/2025 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. This bill has the status Introduced.
The Senate companion to Norton's current bill is also still at the introduced/referred stage, confirming Congress has not passed the measure in the 119th Congress.
Norton and Van Hollen announced introduction of the District of Columbia statehood bill for the 119th Congress. Norton said the bill passed the House in the 116th and 117th Congresses and added, "I'll continue to seek statehood for the Americans I am honored to represent."
Norton's own office describes renewed introduction and continued pursuit, not fulfillment, while acknowledging only prior House passage.
Norton introduced a resolution calling for statehood through enactment of her Washington, D.C. Admission Act. The resolution says Congress has authority to pass the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51 and S. 51) and calls on Congress to pass it.
As of May 2026, Norton was still calling on Congress to pass H.R. 51/S. 51, which supports unresolved status and shows continued effort.
Sponsor: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (Introduced 01/09/2023). Latest Action: House - 01/09/2023 referred to committees. Tracker: This bill has the status Introduced.
In the completed 118th Congress, Norton introduced H.R. 51 but it did not advance beyond introduction and committee referral.
Sponsor: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE] (Introduced 01/24/2023). Latest Action: Senate - 01/24/2023 Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. This bill has the status Introduced.
The 118th Congress Senate companion did not pass the Senate, further showing no congressional passage or enactment in that Congress.
Sponsor: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]. Latest Action: Senate - 04/22/2021 Received in the Senate. Tracker: This bill has the status Passed House. On passage it passed the House 216-208.
Norton's bill passed the House in 2021 but Congress.gov shows the latest action was Senate receipt, not Senate passage or enactment. This is partial progress, not fulfillment.
The official House roll call confirms H.R. 51 passed the House in 2021, a meaningful but incomplete step because the bill did not pass Congress as a whole.
Sponsor: Sen. Carper, Thomas R. [D-DE]. Latest Action: Senate - 06/22/2021 Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. Hearings held. Tracker: This bill has the status Introduced.
The Senate companion in the 117th Congress received a hearing but remained introduced, showing the House-passed statehood effort did not clear the Senate.
Sponsor: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large] (Introduced 01/03/2019). Latest Action: Senate - 09/08/2020 Read the second time and placed on Senate Legislative Calendar. Tracker: This bill has the status Passed House; House passage was 232-180.
Norton's bill passed the House in 2020 and reached the Senate calendar, but it did not pass the Senate or become law.
The official House roll call confirms the 2020 House passage of Norton's statehood bill, an important effort milestone but not final congressional passage.
Norton's official statehood issue page says D.C. residents have no voting representation in Congress, Congress controls D.C. local laws and budget, and the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51) is constitutional.
Norton's current issue page continues to frame D.C. statehood and H.R. 51 as an active unmet goal, not an enacted result.
Norton promised congressional passage of her D.C. statehood bill. She has repeatedly introduced and promoted the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, and the House passed H.R. 51 in 2021, but the measure did not pass the Senate or become law. Current 119th Congress versions remain introduced/referred, and Norton's 2025-2026 statements continue to call for passage, showing the promised outcome is still pending rather than fulfilled. Because she remains in the same federal office, this is unresolved rather than a final failure, with an effort badge for sustained sponsorship and House passage.
provider codex_cli · model gpt-5.5 · confidence 98%
unresolvedunknownA for effort
Norton materially pursued this promise by introducing and advocating her D.C. statehood bill in the 119th Congress, but the cited record shows no enactment and not even current chamber passage. As of the most recent 2026 evidence, she is still publicly urging Congress to pass the bill and describing statehood as pending, so the promised outcome has not yet been achieved and remains live rather than failed outright.
provider codex_cli · model gpt-5.4 · confidence 97%
unresolvedsame_termA for effort
Norton has clearly continued to pursue D.C. statehood by introducing H.R. 51 in the 119th Congress and publicly urging Congress to pass it, but the available evidence shows the bill remained introduced/referred and had not been enacted. Multiple 2025-2026 statements from Norton explicitly describe statehood as still pending and needed, which indicates the promised outcome has not yet occurred. Historical House passage in earlier Congresses shows meaningful effort, but because Congress has not passed and enacted her D.C. statehood bill, the promise is not delivered and remains unresolved while she is still in office and actively pursuing it.