The District of Columbia Voting Rights Amendment was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution that would have given the District of Columbia full representation in the United States Congress, full representation in the Electoral college system, and full participation in the process by which the Constitution is amended. It was proposed by Congress on August 22, 1978. It was ratified by only 16 states by the time of its expiration on August 22, 1985. It was 22 ratifications short of the needed 38 in order for the proposed amendment to have been adopted.