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For Immediate Release
Contact:

Kiren Marshall, marshall@civilrights.org, 202.780.9835

House Delivers for D.C. Residents, Senate Must Follow

Wade Henderson, interim president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after today's passage of H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives:

WASHINGTON

Wade Henderson, interim president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, issued the following statement after today's passage of H.R. 51, the Washington, D.C. Admission Act, in the U.S. House of Representatives:

"With the House passage of H.R. 51, more than 700,000 residents of D.C. are one step closer to finally having a meaningful voice in our nation's legislature and no longer being spectators to our democracy. The right to vote is our most fundamental right. It allows us to hold our leaders accountable. Democracy cannot exist without all of our participation, and it is incumbent upon the Senate to act swiftly and also pass this critically important legislation."

See Henderson's previous testimony on D.C. statehood here.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 200 national organizations to promote and protect the civil and human rights of all persons in the United States. Through advocacy and outreach to targeted constituencies, The Leadership Conference works toward the goal of a more open and just society - an America as good as its ideals.

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