#ShowUp4DC Launches “DC Was Cheated” Toolkit

WASHINGTON, DC — DC Vote has launched a new action toolkit in an effort to secure funding from Congress in upcoming Coronavirus relief packages. The first round of aid from the federal government, the Cares Act, only provided $500 million to Washington, DC. The guaranteed minimum for states was $1.25 billion.

The Heroes Act, which was just passed by the House of Representatives last Friday, would make up for the previous lack of funding for DC, but it is unclear whether the Senate will vote for its passage. A coalition of more than 150 groups is working to ensure that DC gets adequate support, and to push Senators to vote yes on the Heroes Act.

The toolkit includes guidance for contacting elected officials to encourage them to support DC Statehood and DC Coronavirus aid, as well as a petition that will be sent to Congress. There are also template and sample emails and social media posts to further spread the campaign and its message.

The DC Democratic Party is encouraging all DC residents and all of its Democratic allies to utilize this toolkit to ensure DC does not get shortchanged again. The DC Democratic Party asks all District residents and DC allies to participate in this effort and utilize the toolkit to ask their elected officials to support DC Statehood and Coronavirus aid.

In November 2016, 86% of DC voters supported the DC Statehood referendum. DC pays more taxes than 22 states and pays more to the federal government than they receive in federal services. Yet, the residents of DC do not have equal representation in Congress. There are more than 700,000 people living in the District, more than the populations of Wyoming and Vermont, and roughly the same as Alaska and North Dakota. Voting representation is the foundation of our democracy and it is only fair to extend it to the people of DC.

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Chartered by the Democratic National Committee as the elected representatives of the Democratic voters in the District of Columbia, the DC Democratic State Committee “DC Democratic Party” provides input in the affairs of the Democratic Party at the block, precinct, state, and national level. Our priorities include ensuring, preserving, and protecting the principles of Democracy, freedom, equality, and service through political action, fair elections, quality elected officials, strong and vibrant communities, the election of a Democratic nominee for President of the United States, voting rights and statehood for DC. Find out more about what the DC Democratic Party is doing at www.dcdemocraticparty.org.

Show Up 4 DC is a campaign from DC Vote to build in-person, grass-roots support for the upcoming Congressional Activity on H.R. 51, the DC Statehood Bill.