“The ACLU conducted this legal analysis of the Washington, D.C. Admission Act (H.R. 51). Our analysis finds the legislation to be a constitutionally permissible and valid and defensible exercise of congressional authority. This bill would grant statehood to the Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, as the 51st state. The new state would be composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia and provide residents with congressional representation of two senators and one member of the House of Representatives. The legislation also provides various transfers of local governmental authority from the former District of Columbia to the new State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth. The remaining territory of the District of Columbia would continue to serve as the seat of the federal government.”