The Biden administration has officially backed statehood for Washington, D.C., ahead of a House vote on the issue Thursday. The White House called on Congress to “provide for a swift and orderly transition to statehood” for the 700,000 Washington residents who are not fully represented in Congress. The bill is expected to pass the House but faces an uphill battle in the evenly divided Senate, where it would need 60 votes to overcome a Republican filibuster.