in an effort to maintain transparency and accuracy, my assistant for public affairs, ms. dana white and lieutenant general mckenzie, the director of the joint staff. will provide a brief of known details tomorrow morning. we anticipate at about 9:00 in this same location. thank you again for coming in this evening, ladies and gentlemen. >> google take your calls and comments about the u.s. airstrikes in syria and we will talk with the institute with the study of war. also be able to join the conversation on facebook and twitter.

that begins live at 7:00 eastern here on c-span. ♪ >> we feature our student contest winners. we asked middle and high school students to choose a provision to the u.s. constitution and illustrate why it is important to them. a second prize middle school winners are julienne, mourad got, and kenzie. in the winning entry, they talk about d.c. statehood. the tell us about article four, section three. >> [inaudible] veryought it was a important right now because d.c. statehood is a debate that is going on. through the process, i was surprised and happy that we were able to get an interview with a

congresswoman. i would have never in a million years thought i would be interviewing a congresswoman for a school documentary. i felt like it was so cool. ♪ >> defining statehood in america has been a confusing part of the constitution. the founding fathers were vaguely giving specifications on this topic. article four section three of the constitution states, the congress shall have power to dispose of and make all needful rules and regulations respecting the territory or other property belonging to the united states. there are many consisting issue of whether washington, d.c. should be made a state or say a territory. >> this proposal is a nonstarter. we will become the 51st state. >> we can take care of ourselves. a constitutional scholar at

the cato institute, an institute dedicated to pursuing individual liberty and limited government. he founded the center for constitutional studies in 1989. allet's get clear first of what the current proposal is for d.c. statehood. in 2013, a bill was introduced in congress that would authorize congress to reduce the seat of government to a tiny enclave around the national mall in including the white house and the supreme court. and several other federal buildings and residential buildings. they turn the rest of the district of columbia into the 51st state. the district of columbia was created through the congressional act pursuant to

constitutional authority given to congress. createorized congress to a district no more than 10 miles square to be the seat of the national government. >> he claims that as a result of these unclear specifications, statehood involving the district of columbia, can only be accomplished in a certain constitutional way. >> if you are going to make this change, it has to be done by constitutional amendment. although he believes it is

possible for d.c. to become the 51st state, he thinks it will be very challenging because of the various constitutional reasons. believes d.c. statehood to be a significant injustice in the united states that can be addressed. >> the constitution does not prevent d.c. from becoming a state. it is a misconception. the constitution says that there has to be a seat of government not to exceed 10 miles square, which is an old time he way of saying a hundreds were miles. the national government shall have exclusive jurisdiction over that federal district. maximumdoes is set a size for the federal district. but not the minimum size. the theory of d.c. statehood is ,o take the seat of government our federal area, and make it in the way that the framers intended. >> although his perspective

seems more against d.c. statehood, paul stross says that most of the constitutional you it ashat he knows an essential controversy that should be accomplished. apart from the constitutional aspects, stross says the lack of d.c. statehood is currently unfair for many reasons. >> here's what makes us eligible to be estate. we have more people than several other states. they are american citizens, they follow the laws. the serving the military and do all the things that citizens are supposed to do. they don't have the rights of citizens. the only other place that has a capital denies democratic rights of the people who live there. we are the only country that really does that. wrong, it is unfair, it is best for d.c. and america. isa big part of the struggle political. >> i met a few folks who when

they get down to it admit that dc-10's to be very democratic and they tend to support the republican party and they don't want to see more democrats voting. congresswoman as have kept fighting for d.c. statehood for decades. it is our most powerful institution. we have been denied our power as american citizens. see is ordinary. power of democratic equal citizenship. people when told that the district pays taxes the way they do, agree that we are to have statehood. >> spreading the word about d.c. statehood is very important for any efforts are changes to be

made. >> we cannot get statehood unless people from other states tell their senators and representatives to sign onto the bill for d.c. statehood. that is the most important thing they could do to help. >> paul stross has followed through with his efforts internationally. >> i just got back from rome where i talked about d.c. statehood. tibet,re people from senators from italy and france, all talking about the state of human rights around the world. students from maryland, washington, dc is a big part of our life and community. we think that denying d.c. citizens of their full rights is unfair and unjust. although the controversy over d.c. statehood has been an everlasting issue, we believe the only way any changes will be made concerning d.c. statehood is if we educate others and spread the word. cosponsorst enough and momentum around the country,

will become the 51st state. ♪ >> to watch the documentaries in this year studentcam competition, bizarre website. visit our website. connect with c-span to personalize the information you get from us. and sign upbsite for the email. the program guide is a daily email with the most updated primetime schedule. you the most gives interesting daily of video highlights. no commentary. the book tv new list that are -- newsletter is a look at upcoming authors and book festivals. the american history tv newsletter gives you the upcoming programming exploring our nation's past. visit our website and sign up today.

>> earlier this evening, president trump announced the u.s. was launching airstrikes in syria. in cooperation with france and the u.k., in part of a response to the alleged chemical attacks taking place last weekend, killing more than 40 people and injuring hundreds. his statement was just under 10 minutes. pres. trump: my fellow americans, a short time ago, i ordered the united states armed forces to launch precision strikes on targets associated with the chemical weapons capabilities of syrian dictator bashar al-assad. the combined operation with the armed forces of france and the united kingdom is now underway.