Hoyer Discusses DC Statehood, American Jobs Plan, and Policing Legislation on MSNBC’s “Morning Joe”
For Immediate Release:
April 22, 2021
Contact Info:
Margaret Mulkerrin 202-225-3130
WASHINGTON, DC – House Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer (MD) joined MSNBC’s “Morning Joe” today to discuss the upcoming House vote on DC statehood legislation, the American Jobs Plan, and progress on policing legislation. Below are excerpts of his remarks and a link to the video:
Click here to watch the video.
On DC Statehood Legislation
“Well, it's going to pass the House, there’s no doubt about that. We passed it last Congress, as you know, Mika, and we'll pass it this Congress. I doubt that we're going to lose a Democrat. Clearly, 712,000 people - larger than two states – [are] paying a significant amount of taxes to the federal government. There is no reason why the residents of the District of Columbia should not be equal citizens with every other citizen and, therefore, admitted as a state… There is no principled reason why the residents of the District of Columbia should not have a voting member in parliament of their country as every other free nation in the world has. Only America has its nation's Capital unrepresented by a voting member in its parliament, and in our case the Congress of the United States. So I am hopeful, however, that we have a different situation than we had last Congress. First of all, we have Majority Leader Chuck Schumer who is for this. Secondly, we have the President of the United States who is for this and has said he will sign it.”
On the American Jobs Plan
“The President's Build Back Better program is one that I think should garner bipartisan support and has bipartisan support among Republicans, Democrats, and Independents in the country. So the fact that [that support] is not represented in Congress of the United States, either in the Senate or the House - we got no votes on the [American] Rescue Plan, that will make such a positive difference… [and it] is making a real difference. And I would hope that at some point in time, we're going to get Republicans listening to the people. Because the bills that we've passed, including the [George Floyd] Justice in Policing Act, H.R. 1, [the For The People Act] – the political reform, redistricting reform, voting rights reform [legislation] – are supported by an overwhelming majority of the American people and that ought to be reflected in the United States Senate. But unfortunately, our Republican friends see opposition to Biden before they see merits in legislation the American people want. It's a shame.”
On Progress of Policing Legislation
“We sent a bill over [to the Senate] that we think is a good bill, and we think it provides for accountability. We did that last year and we've done it again this year…Every day, this daily tragedy that we see on the streets of our country, both in rural areas and in urban areas, people of color losing their lives, clearly the case that we just saw was so self-evident as the prosecutor said, ‘believe your eyes.’ But this is happening so many times, it calls out for the Senate and the House and the Congress and the President to pass legislation. But we also have, as you know, background checks that have been passed a number of times by us, passed again this year. That also calls out for action and sadly, tragically, we have not seen any action in the United States Senate to move that bill. But hopefully Senator Booker can make some progress with Senator Scott [on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Bill] and we can get a bill done.”
Click here to watch the video.
On DC Statehood Legislation
“Well, it's going to pass the House, there’s no doubt about that. We passed it last Congress, as you know, Mika, and we'll pass it this Congress. I doubt that we're going to lose a Democrat. Clearly, 712,000 people - larger than two states – [are] paying a significant amount of taxes to the federal government. There is no reason why the residents of the District of Columbia should not be equal citizens with every other citizen and, therefore, admitted as a state… There is no principled reason why the residents of the District of Columbia should not have a voting member in parliament of their country as every other free nation in the world has. Only America has its nation's Capital unrepresented by a voting member in its parliament, and in our case the Congress of the United States. So I am hopeful, however, that we have a different situation than we had last Congress. First of all, we have Majority Leader Chuck Schumer who is for this. Secondly, we have the President of the United States who is for this and has said he will sign it.”
On the American Jobs Plan
“The President's Build Back Better program is one that I think should garner bipartisan support and has bipartisan support among Republicans, Democrats, and Independents in the country. So the fact that [that support] is not represented in Congress of the United States, either in the Senate or the House - we got no votes on the [American] Rescue Plan, that will make such a positive difference… [and it] is making a real difference. And I would hope that at some point in time, we're going to get Republicans listening to the people. Because the bills that we've passed, including the [George Floyd] Justice in Policing Act, H.R. 1, [the For The People Act] – the political reform, redistricting reform, voting rights reform [legislation] – are supported by an overwhelming majority of the American people and that ought to be reflected in the United States Senate. But unfortunately, our Republican friends see opposition to Biden before they see merits in legislation the American people want. It's a shame.”
On Progress of Policing Legislation
“We sent a bill over [to the Senate] that we think is a good bill, and we think it provides for accountability. We did that last year and we've done it again this year…Every day, this daily tragedy that we see on the streets of our country, both in rural areas and in urban areas, people of color losing their lives, clearly the case that we just saw was so self-evident as the prosecutor said, ‘believe your eyes.’ But this is happening so many times, it calls out for the Senate and the House and the Congress and the President to pass legislation. But we also have, as you know, background checks that have been passed a number of times by us, passed again this year. That also calls out for action and sadly, tragically, we have not seen any action in the United States Senate to move that bill. But hopefully Senator Booker can make some progress with Senator Scott [on the George Floyd Justice in Policing Bill] and we can get a bill done.”