Skip to main content
Back to Show
PBS News Hour

The constitutional and political obstacles to D.C. statehood

The roughly 700,000 residents of Washington, D.C., have no voting representation in Congress -- yet pay more taxes per capita than anyone else in the U.S. On Friday, the House of Representatives voted for the first time ever to turn the nation’s capital into its 51st state. But D.C. statehood is not likely to happen soon, for reasons both constitutional and political. Lisa Desjardins reports.

Support Provided By
Season
March 18, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
March 18, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
March 17, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
March 17, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
March 16, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
56:44
March 16, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
March 13, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
March 13, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
March 12, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
March 12, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
March 11, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
March 11, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
March 10, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
March 10, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
March 9, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
56:46
March 9, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
March 6, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
March 6, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
March 5, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
March 5, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
March 4, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
March 4, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
March 3, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
57:46
March 3, 2026 - PBS News Hour full episode
Active loading indicator