Mike Panetta’s Remarks on Statehood

A few people asked me to post my speech from my swearing-in ceremony on Sunday. Here it is below, it’s not exactly as delivered, but close enough. If anyone has a photo of my giving the 51-start flag to Delegate Norton, please send it to me!

REMARKS OF “SHADOW” U.S. REPRESENTATIVE
MIKE PANETTA
JANUARY 2, 2011
WASHINGTON, DC

Some of you may know this is my 3rd time being sworn-in as the U.S. Representative for the District of Columbia – but it’s the first time I know I’ll be serving the full two years. You see, the first two times I was sworn in, I thought it would be the last time we needed to swear in anyone for this position – as we were on the cusp of a real vote in the House of Representatives.

When I was first sworn in – back in 2007, we had just seen the Democrats take over the House and Senate – and the District of Columbia Voting Rights was poised for swift passage in Congress. It did pass the House that year, but as you may remember, we failed by 3 votes in the Senate.

Fast forward, two years later, in 2009 — not only did we still have Democrats in control of both Houses of Congress – but we were about to inaugurate President Obama. And on top of that, we picked up additional votes in the Senate. The District of Columbia Voting Rights Act seemed like a slam dunk – and indeed it did pass the Senate, but not without a poison pill “gun amendment” that would have eliminated the ability of our local council to pass any laws pertaining to firearms or ammunition as a condition for the vote in the House. That was a deal that we were just not willing to make.

So here we are, 4 years later and things are little different now on Capitol Hill.

We have new leadership in the House that is in all likelihood not going to be very supporting of expanded home-rule for the District.

Thing are somewhat better in the Senate, but we have a smaller number of known supporters and we will likely face attempts to limit our self-determination from Senators in both parties…

And, the District of Columbia Voting Rights Act, the legislation that we spend so much time and energy working to pass over the past 5 years has imploded. That particular bill was founded on a mutually beneficial arrangement with the State of Utah. The state had just missed getting an extra Congressional district in the 2000 Census…and was actively lobbying for additional representation.

It was a partnership that made sense at the time and the legislation was crafted for a very specific Congressional and political environment.

That time has passed. After the 2010 Census, Utah is getting additional representation in Congress– we are still not getting any – but Utah’s population has grown enough to get the seat that was in play during the DCVRA.

We all need to understand that the circumstances that birthed the District of Columbia Voting Rights Act no longer exist.

The stars are not aligned for reviving this legislation in the next Congress. The next state in line to get a seat is North Carolina – which has not of the political properties that Utah did. Key members of the state’s current Congressional district actively opposed passage of the first DC voting rights act. It would be a waste of time and effort to try to craft another piece of legislation along these lines.

I’m not going to sugar coat things, the next few years will not be easy ones on Capitol Hill for the District. We’ll all need to be vigilant and work to protect the gains we’ve made for budgetary and legislative autonomy over the past several years, and in just a few days I’ll be up on the Hill with DC Vote to protect our Delegate’s symbolic vote in the Committee of the Whole.

So yes, we’ll have our short-term battles to keep the progress we’ve made…and I’ll continue to be on the front lines of those struggles.

However, now….now is the time to re-commit ourselves to the only lasting, and permanent solution to our second-class citizen status.

All of us need to focus our passion, energy, and creativity into making the District of Columbia the 51st state.

Now is the time to look at the American flag and ask ourselves, Congress, and President Obama: Where’s My Star?

Only by removing the yoke of Congressional control and becoming the state of New Columbia will we be free and equal partners in the country we call America.

Only through statehood will change shed our colonial status in a way that can not be overturned by change in Congressional leadership or court ruling.

It’s not the easiest way but it’s the best way…in fact I feel it’s the only way to move forward.

If we are going to fight, let’s fight for what we want, for what we deserve: Full Statehood

This is not going to be a quick fix. It’s going to take time. It won’t happen this Congress, but let’s start moving things forward. Let’s introduce legislation, find co-sponsors, rally our supporters. Let’s be active in elections across the country to identify our supporters and do whatever we can to ensure they become members of Congress.

It’s not going to be a free ride. It will take more resources than we’ve ever committed to this issue. The modest sum allocated in the current budget is a start…but it’s going to take much more.

And most importantly it’s not going to just be given to us – we’re going to need to fight for it. We’ll need the kind of leadership at all levels that can and will energize and mobilize a truly national movement – bigger and better than anything that’s been done to date.

This is not the time to “fight the last war” — the strategies and tactics of the past will not achieve victory in the present. We need bold action, creative thinking, and the financial resources to engage at the level needed to get a new star on the American flag.

I’m very excited to have Vincent Gray as our mayor, Kwame Brown as our Council Chair, and the continued service of our Delegate on Capitol Hill…Eleanor Holmes Norton. I know the leadership of the District is 100% committed to this fight, but only with greater community involvement – from all wards in this city – can we can bring about a permanent change to our status.

Delegate Norton, could I ask you to join me at the podium?…it’s after Christmas, but I have a little gift for you.

Ladies and Gentleman, what I have here is an American Flag. However this is no ordinary flag, for this is one of the few American flags that truly represents everyone in this country.

For this flag…has 51 stars.

Let it serve as reminder of what we are fighting for. With your leadership, and with the passion and energy of everyone here today soon ALL American flags will have 51 stars.

Until then, we all need ask a simple question of President Obama and Congress. Three simple words that encapsulate over two hundred years of frustration of District citizens:

WHERE’S… MY…. STAR?

Thank you!

Swearing-In Details for “Shadow” Representative Mike Panetta

I’ll be sworn in for a third term as “Shadow” U.S. Representative for the District of Columbia this Sunday, January 2nd, at 1:00. The swearing-in ceremony takes place at 1:00 at the Washington Convention Center.

I invite you to join me as I re-affirm my commitment to statehood, full Congressional representation, and self-determination for the people of the District of Columbia.

Following the ceremony, I’ll be hosting a reception in my office in the John A. Wilson building. Details for both events are listed below. I hope to see you at one or both of these events!

Swearing-in of “Shadow” U.S. Representative Mike Panetta

January 2, 2011
1:00 pm (Doors open at noon)
Walter E. Washington Convention Center
801 Mount Vernon Place, NW

Post-Ceremony Reception:

January 2, 2011
3:30 p.m.
Office of U.S. Representative Mike Panetta
John A. Wilson Building, Suite C-09
1350 Pennsylvania Ave., NW

For more information please give me a call at 202-253-6534 or at mike@mikepanetta.com

Mike Panetta on NewTalk with Bruce DePuyt

I was recently on NewsTalk with Bruce DePuyt on NewsChannel 8. I was on with fellow New Englander turned District of Columbia politico, Patrick Mara. Here’s a highlight of the show:

I Support Mary Cheh

I wanted to take a minute and post an entry today to show my support to Mary Cheh for the Ward 3 Council seat. Mary has been a powerful and restless advocate on the Council and the type of legislator that should make us proud.

She led the effort to reform our election laws, enacted one of the most powerful whistleblower protection bills in the country, and has worked to promote transparency and fiscal responsibility. She has been a champion of progressive causes, whether on the environment, healthy schools, civil liberties, or consumer protections from predatory practices.

She is widely known for her vigorous oversight of agencies and her relentless pursuit of a better quality of life for Ward 3 residents. She has also stood up for self-determination and legislative autonomy; for example, she was a critical voice in opposing the noxious effort to strip the District of its ability to enact gun control laws.

Mary deserves your vote because she has shown the commitment, experience, and judgment to tackle the major challenges facing DC. And I am proud to give her my endorsement. Please vote for her on November 2nd.

Thank You for Your Support!

It was a late night Tuesday, but I was re-elected to a third term as the “Shadow” U.S. Representative for the District of Columbia. It feels really good to have the voters of DC give me another two years to continue what I am doing, and I won’t let them down.

I’d like to thank my opponent for running a fantastic campaign and for raising the profile of this position. Nate Bennett-Fleming is one of the most passionate and hard-working people in the quest for DC Statehood, and I hope he’ll stay involved, as we need young talent in this movement. I know we’ll see his name on a ballot again soon and I expect great things from him in the future.

Of course I have to give a huge thanks to the great people at DC for Democracy went above and beyond the call of duty to help me. They are an endorsement that is more than a press release; they do the hard work needed to get their candidates elected. Their support is what got me re-elected, it’s as simple as that.

So many people helped me along the way  by giving a donation, handing out flyers, getting signatures, putting up signs on poles, or marching in parades . There are far to many to list here, but I’ll be thanking everyone individually over the next few days.

The most important people to thank are my family, especially my wife Cady as she is the one who was home with our 4 and 1 year old kids while I was out at forums, getting signatures, and campaigning for re-election. She’s very supportive and there’s no way I could do this without her help.  My brother Chris and my Dad Leo (not LEON) also worked key precincts for me on Election Day, both of which I won!  It’s great to have that kind of support.

Thanks for your again for your confidence in me. I pledge to keep fighting for a free and equal DC!