WASHINGTON, D.C. — Washington, D.C. residents will vote this fall to decide if the district seeks to become America's 51st state.
On Monday the statehood commission decided that if the voters and Congress approve, the city district will become the state of New Columbia. That name was first approved by voters in 1982 during an earlier statehood campaign. The tribute to Christopher Columbus is highly controversial, especially if it becomes a star on the flag of the United States, but members of the commission point out that voters in a free state can change the name later.
Currently, residents of the District of Columbia are not represented in Congress and have no vote over how their tax money is spent or other basic rights as citizens.
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