D.C. shadow U.S. Senator Paul Strauss says the District's "No Taxation Without Representation" license plate no longer reminds the public of the District's goal of becoming a state.

 "The license plate has lost its impact," Strauss said during D.C. Council hearing on Thursday on renaming a section of Pennsylvania Avenue to reflect the city's quest for statehood.

Tourists, he said, make the mistake that the statement is a reflection on the Boston Tea Party and Revolution War slogans.

"People mistake them for a history lesson rather than symbolism," Strauss said.