This year on Valentine’s Day, February 14^th, members of Stand Up! for Democracy in DC (Free DC) and DC Vote visited six Democratic U.S. Senators, Thomas Carper (D-Del.), Christopher Murphy (D-Conn.), Jacky Rosen (D-Nev.), Jeanne Shaheen (D-N.H.), Mark Warner (D-Va.) and Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and two Republican U.S. Senators, Ron Johnson (R-Wisc.) and Tim Scott (R-S.C.) – all of whom did not cosponsor the “Washington, DC Admission Act” during the 115^th Congress.

During our Capitol Hill visits, senators and staff were wished a “Happy Valentine’s Day” and given a hand-crafted card that stated “DC STATEHOOD LOVES YOU, LOVE DC STATEHOOD BACK: SUPPORT THE ‘WASHINGTON, DC ADMISSION ACT.’”

Advocates gave a brief presentation about DC’s need for statehood and, in addition to the Valentine’s Day card, the staff was given an article, by Douglass scholar John Muller, about why Abolitionist and Republican Frederick Douglass adopted Valentine’s Day as his presumed birthday and his support for full congressional suffrage for DC residents.

At the end of each visit, DC statehood literature was shared and plans were made to schedule appointments with all the senators.