- When the framers set upthe District of Columbia

as the seat of the federal government,

they were careful to keep it neutral.

Critics of statehood argueupsetting that delicate balance

could prove catastrophic.

Supporters point to recentdeadly riots at the Capitol

as proof it's necessary.

- [Man] It's over!

You better run cops!

- [Jennifer] In attempting toaddress this infamous scene

in and around the Capitol building,

DC mayor Muriel Bowserfelt her hands were tied.

In states, governors control

their respective national guards.

In DC however, the president's in control.

- Congress must immediatelytransfer command

of the District of Columbia National Guard

from the president of the United States

and put it squarely under the command

and control of the mayor ofthe District of Columbia.

- [Jennifer] Bowser andallies seeking DC statehood

see an opening with Democratsnow holding the White House

and majorities in the House and Senate.

- We must get statehoodon the president's desk

within the first 100 daysof the 117th Congress.

- [Jennifer] With 706,000 residents,

DC boasts a greaterpopulation than the states

of Vermont and Wyoming,

yet has no votingrepresentatives in Congress.

Frustration over that is seen vividly

throughout the city withthe revolutionary slogan

taxation without representation.

Still, Roger Pilon with the Cato Institute

says the framers had their reasons

for designing the seatof the federal government

as they did.

- The framers wanted to have the seat

of the new federal government independent

of any given state.

- [Jennifer] A decision influencedby another raid in 1783,

when hundreds of disgruntledrevolutionary soldiers

marched to the Capitol,

which was then in Philadelphiato demand payment.

When Pennsylvania state government

refused to protect Congress,members fled to New Jersey.

- They didn't want any given state

to be disproportionatelyinfluential on the new government.

- [Jennifer] In other words,

they wanted neutral ground toconduct the people's business.

- One can imagine scenarios

that would be quite uncomfortable.

For example, if you hadthe District of Columbia

with its own state governmententirely Democratic

and you had a president who was Republican

in the White House,

you could imagine thetemptation to for example,

withhold services that would be essential

for the federal government

- [Jennifer] The idea of DC statehood

has been debated for decades.

Pilon and many otherconstitutional scholars

say it can't happen withouta constitutional amendment.

One passed by Congress

and signed by PresidentJimmy Carter in 1978,

failed to be ratified by enough states.

Another attempt came last year.

- The District of Columbiastatehood bill HR51 is passed.

- [Jennifer] The House approved a bill

that reduces the 10 square miles

of the District as specifiedin the constitution

to an enclave around the National Mall

that would remain undercongressional control.

The remaining land wouldbecome the 51st state

called the WashingtonDouglas Commonwealth,

a nod to both George Washingtonand Frederick Douglas.

Supporters say this approach

would not require aconstitutional amendment

because it preserves a federal district

as prescribed in the constitution.

It could still face an uphill battle,

even with a democratic controlledCongress and White House

as long as there's afilibuster in the Senate.

That's because the measure needs 60 votes,

which currently aren't there.

And even if the filibuster is eliminated,

not every Democrat supports the idea.

Should DC become a state,

it will be granted two US senators

and Republicans say, that's the real goal.

- This proposal is plainly nothing but

a democratic power grab.

- [Jennifer] Since DCconsistently supports

the democratic nominee for president,

statehood would tilt the balance of power

in the Senate to Democrats.

- This is not about enfranchising people.

This is about expanding the Senate map

to accommodate the most radicalagenda that I've ever seen

since I've been up here gettingmore radical by the day.

- [Jennifer] However, if orwhen the measure ever passes,

there's no doubt, it will end up in court.

- Every justice departmentthat has looked at this issue

from the time when Robert Kennedy

was an attorney general in 1963

has said that Congress has no power

to do what is contemplated in this bill.

- Meanwhile, anotherconstitutional amendment

would likely have trouble too.

Recent polling shows 64% of Americans

are opposed to making DC the 51st state.

Jennifer Wishon, CBN News.