On Thursday, the U.S House of Representatives passed H.R.51 –– a bill that would make the District of Columbia the 51st state. It was referred to the House Committee on Oversight and Reform, which recommended that the bill pass following an amendment. Under the bill’s provisions, the District, which would be renamed to Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, after abolitionist Frederick Douglass, would be on equal legal footing with the other 50 states.