Today, for the first time, the House of Representatives is expected to approve statehood for Washington, D.C. With about 705,000 residents, D.C. is larger than two states — Vermont and Wyoming. About 45 percent of D.C. residents are black, a higher share than in any state. In a 2016 referendum, 86 percent of D.C. residents voted in favor of statehood. The Boston Globe’s Jeff Jacoby has argued against it, saying the creation of a new, smaller federal district would be unconstitutional.

Source: New York Times June 26, 2020 10:30 UTC