It’s been nearly six decades since Alaska and Hawaii joined the Union as the 49th and 50th states in 1959. Is it time for the U.S. to add another star or two to the flag?
That’s the question both Washington, D.C., and Puerto Rico are asking Americans to consider in separate pushes for statehood that have gained some
For residents of the District of Columbia, it’s a question of fairness. Americans in D.C. serve in the U.S. military, sit on juries, and pay federal taxes just like everyone else. But because of the capital’s special status as a federal district, its residents don’t have voting representation in Congress, so they have no say in the nation’s laws. They also have limited control over their own affairs because any law passed by D.C.’s local government requires congressional approval.
That bothers Cheryl Liu, 19, who moved to D.C. from Hinsdale, Illinois, last year to attend Georgetown University. She’s now an active member of the group Students for D.C. Statehood.
“I thought it was a little bit ridiculous that citizens living here don’t have a voice in Congress, or control over their own affairs,” Liu says.