DC's first statehood hearing in 25 years begins on Capitol Hill

City leaders led a caravan toward to the U.S. Capitol earlier this week to symbolize the city's fight for congressional voting rights. (Photo credit: FOX 5 DC)

D.C.'s Mayor Muriel Bowser and other city leaders are on Capitol Hill Thursday for Washington, D.C.'s first House hearing on U.S. statehood in a quarter century.

The bill being discussed by the House Committee on Oversight and Reform has more than 200 co-sponsors and the support of House Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Majority Leader Steny H. Hoyer, both Democrats.

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Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton, the District's nonvoting member of Congress, opened the meeting shortly after 10 a.m. Thursday.

Earlier this week, Bowser, Norton and other city leaders led a caravan toward to the U.S. Capitol on to symbolize the city's fight for congressional voting rights. Nearly 150 flags bearing an extra star lined Pennsylvania Avenue during the parade.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.