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I
118TH CONGRESS
1ST SESSION
H. R. 51
To provide for the admission of the State of Washington, D.C. into the
Union.
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
JANUARY 9, 2023
Ms. NORTON (for herself, Mr. DOGGETT, Mr. BEYER, Mr. VARGAS, Mrs. WAT-
SON COLEMAN, Mr. KILDEE, Mr. MEEKS, Mrs. BEATTY, Ms. ESCOBAR,
Ms. WILLIAMS
of Georgia, Mr. SWALWELL, Mr. PASCRELL, Mr.
KRISHNAMOORTHI, Mr. CORREA, Ms. BARRAGA´N, Mr. DAVID SCOTT of
Georgia, Mr. TAKANO, Mr. ESPAILLAT, Ms. BUSH, Mr. CARSON, Mr.
SARBANES, Mr. CASTEN, Mr. ALLRED, Ms. SCHAKOWSKY, Ms. JACOBS,
Mr. HUFFMAN, Ms. MOORE of Wisconsin, Mr. BISHOP of Georgia, Mr.
THOMPSON of Mississippi, Mr. BLUMENAUER, Ms. PORTER, Mr. CARTER
of Louisiana, Ms. JAYAPAL, Ms. WEXTON, Ms. LEE of California, Mr.
RUPPERSBERGER, Mr. SHERMAN, Mr. POCAN, Mr. LARSEN of Wash-
ington, Ms. HOULAHAN, Mr. QUIGLEY, Ms. MCCOLLUM, Mr. LYNCH, Mr.
GARAMENDI, Mr. DAVIS of Illinois, Mr. TORRES of New York, Mr.
CA´RDENAS, Mr. CASTRO of Texas, Ms. SCANLON, Ms. WASSERMAN
SCHULTZ, Mrs. MCBATH, Ms. BROWNLEY, Mr. TRONE, Ms. PINGREE,
Ms. DEAN of Pennsylvania, Ms. DELBENE, Mr. THOMPSON of California,
Mr. GREEN of Texas, Ms. BONAMICI, Mr. EVANS, Mr. MFUME, Ms.
CRAIG, Ms. MENG, Mr. MOULTON, Ms. ESHOO, Ms. CASTOR of Florida,
Ms. STEVENS, Ms. GARCIA of Texas, Mr. LIEU, Mr. SOTO, Mr. TONKO,
Mr. CARBAJAL, Ms. KUSTER, Ms. ADAMS, Ms. TITUS, Ms. KELLY of Illi-
nois, Mr. NEGUSE, Mr. BERA, Ms. STRICKLAND, Mr. MCGOVERN, Mr.
CLEAVER, Mr. SCHIFF, Ms. WILSON of Florida, Mr. CASE, Mr. GOMEZ,
Ms. TLAIB, Mr. RASKIN, Mr. CONNOLLY, Ms. SEWELL, Mr. KILMER, Mr.
JOHNSON of Georgia, Mr. PANETTA, Mr. PETERS, Mr. PAYNE, Mr.
COSTA, Mr. BOWMAN, Mr. RUIZ, Mr. DESAULNIER, Ms. PLASKETT, Mr.
GARCI´A of Illinois, Mr. KIM of New Jersey, Mrs. DINGELL, Ms. CLARKE
of New York, Mr. NEAL, Ms. VELA´ZQUEZ, Mr. SABLAN, Mr. FOSTER,
Mr. BOYLE of Pennsylvania, Ms. DAVIDS of Kansas, Ms. SA´NCHEZ, Mr.
JACKSON of Illinois, Mrs. NAPOLITANO, Ms. OCASIO-CORTEZ, Mrs.
TRAHAN, Ms. DEGETTE, Mr. SMITH of Washington, Mr. STANTON, Ms.
LOIS FRANKEL of Florida, Mr. NADLER, Mr. LARSON of Connecticut,
Mr. KHANNA, Mr. AUCHINCLOSS, Ms. ROSS, Mr. PHILLIPS, Mr. PAL-
LONE, Ms. MATSUI, Mr. GOTTHEIMER, Ms. DELAURO, Mr. SCOTT of Vir-
ginia, Mr. SCHNEIDER, Mrs. TORRES of California, Ms. KAPTUR, Mr.
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•HR 51 IH
GALLEGO, Mr. CROW, Ms. PRESSLEY, Mr. CICILLINE, Mr. COHEN, Mr.
NORCROSS, Mr. VEASEY, Mr. THANEDAR, Mr. HOYER, Mr. MORELLE,
Mr. AGUILAR, Ms. SPANBERGER, Ms. UNDERWOOD, Ms. CHU, Ms.
CLARK of Massachusetts, Mr. CLYBURN, Mr. HORSFORD, Ms. JACKSON
LEE, Mr. JEFFRIES, Ms. LOFGREN, Ms. OMAR, Ms. WATERS, Mr. GRI-
JALVA, Mrs. HAYES, Mr. KEATING, Mr. MRVAN, Ms. WILD, Mrs.
CHERFILUS-MCCORMICK, Ms. BUDZINSKI, Mr. HIGGINS of New York,
Ms. CROCKETT, Mrs. FOUSHEE, Ms. TOKUDA, and Ms. LEGER
FERNANDEZ) introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on Oversight and Accountability, and in addition to the Com-
mittees on Rules, Armed Services, the Judiciary, and Energy and Com-
merce, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in
each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdic-
tion of the committee concerned
A BILL
To provide for the admission of the State of Washington,
D.C. into the Union.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa-
1
tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled,
2
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
3
(a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the
4
‘‘Washington, D.C. Admission Act’’.
5
(b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of
6
this Act is as follows:
7
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I—STATE OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
Subtitle A—Procedures for Admission
Sec. 101. Admission into the Union.
Sec. 102. Election of Senators and Representative.
Sec. 103. Issuance of Presidential proclamation.
Subtitle B—Seat of Government of the United States
Sec. 111. Territory and boundaries.
Sec. 112. Description of Capital.
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•HR 51 IH
Sec. 113. Retention of title to property.
Sec. 114. Effect of admission on current laws of seat of Government of United
States.
Sec. 115. Capital National Guard.
Sec. 116. Termination of legal status of seat of Government of United States
as municipal corporation.
Subtitle C—General Provisions Relating to Laws of State
Sec. 121. Effect of admission on current laws.
Sec. 122. Pending actions and proceedings.
Sec. 123. Limitation on authority to tax Federal property.
Sec. 124. United States nationality.
TITLE II—INTERESTS OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Subtitle A—Federal Property
Sec. 201. Treatment of military lands.
Sec. 202. Waiver of claims to Federal property.
Subtitle B—Federal Courts
Sec. 211. Residency requirements for certain Federal officials.
Sec. 212. Renaming of Federal courts.
Sec. 213. Conforming amendments relating to Department of Justice.
Sec. 214. Treatment of pretrial services in United States District Court.
Subtitle C—Federal Elections
Sec. 221. Permitting individuals residing in Capital to vote in Federal elections
in State of most recent domicile.
Sec. 222. Repeal of Office of District of Columbia Delegate.
Sec. 223. Repeal of law providing for participation of seat of government in
election of President and Vice President.
Sec. 224. Expedited procedures for consideration of constitutional amendment
repealing 23rd Amendment.
TITLE III—CONTINUATION OF CERTAIN AUTHORITIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
Subtitle A—Employee Benefits
Sec. 301. Federal benefit payments under certain retirement programs.
Sec. 302. Continuation of Federal civil service benefits for employees first em-
ployed prior to establishment of District of Columbia merit
personnel system.
Sec. 303. Obligations of Federal Government under judges’ retirement pro-
gram.
Subtitle B—Agencies
Sec. 311. Public Defender Service.
Sec. 312. Prosecutions.
Sec. 313. Service of United States Marshals.
Sec. 314. Designation of felons to facilities of Bureau of Prisons.
Sec. 315. Parole and supervision.
Sec. 316. Courts.
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•HR 51 IH
Subtitle C—Other Programs and Authorities
Sec. 321. Application of the College Access Act.
Sec. 322. Application of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act.
Sec. 323. Medicaid Federal medical assistance percentage.
Sec. 324. Federal planning commissions.
Sec. 325. Role of Army Corps of Engineers in supplying water.
Sec. 326. Requirements to be located in District of Columbia.
TITLE IV—GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 401. General definitions.
Sec. 402. Statehood Transition Commission.
Sec. 403. Certification of enactment by President.
Sec. 404. Severability.
TITLE I—STATE OF
1
WASHINGTON, D.C.
2
Subtitle A—Procedures for
3
Admission
4
SEC. 101. ADMISSION INTO THE UNION.
5
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the provisions of this
6
Act, upon the issuance of the proclamation required by
7
section 103(a), the State of Washington, Douglass Com-
8
monwealth is declared to be a State of the United States
9
of America, and is declared admitted into the Union on
10
an equal footing with the other States in all respects what-
11
ever.
12
(b) CONSTITUTION OF STATE.—The State Constitu-
13
tion shall always be republican in form and shall not be
14
repugnant to the Constitution of the United States or the
15
principles of the Declaration of Independence.
16
(c) NONSEVERABILITY.—If any provision of this sec-
17
tion, or the application thereof to any person or cir-
18
cumstance, is held to be invalid, the remaining provisions
19
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•HR 51 IH
of this Act and any amendments made by this Act shall
1
be treated as invalid.
2
SEC. 102. ELECTION OF SENATORS AND REPRESENTATIVE.
3
(a) ISSUANCE OF PROCLAMATION.—
4
(1) IN GENERAL.—Not more than 30 days after
5
receiving certification of the enactment of this Act
6
from the President pursuant to section 403, the
7
Mayor shall issue a proclamation for the first elec-
8
tions for 2 Senators and one Representative in Con-
9
gress from the State, subject to the provisions of
10
this section.
11
(2) SPECIAL RULE FOR ELECTIONS OF SEN-
12
ATORS.—In the elections of Senators from the State
13
pursuant to paragraph (1), the 2 Senate offices shall
14
be separately identified and designated, and no per-
15
son may be a candidate for both offices. No such
16
identification or designation of either of the offices
17
shall refer to or be taken to refer to the terms of
18
such offices, or in any way impair the privilege of
19
the Senate to determine the class to which each of
20
the Senators shall be assigned.
21
(b) RULES FOR CONDUCTING ELECTIONS.—
22
(1) IN
GENERAL.—The proclamation of the
23
Mayor issued under subsection (a) shall provide for
24
the holding of a primary election and a general elec-
25
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•HR 51 IH
tion, and at such elections the officers required to be
1
elected as provided in subsection (a) shall be chosen
2
by the qualified voters of the District of Columbia
3
in the manner required by the laws of the District
4
of Columbia.
5
(2) CERTIFICATION OF RESULTS.—Election re-
6
sults shall be certified in the manner required by the
7
laws of the District of Columbia, except that the
8
Mayor shall also provide written certification of the
9
results of such elections to the President.
10
(c) ASSUMPTION OF DUTIES.—Upon the admission
11
of the State into the Union, the Senators and Representa-
12
tive elected at the elections described in subsection (a)
13
shall be entitled to be admitted to seats in Congress and
14
to all the rights and privileges of Senators and Represent-
15
atives of the other States in Congress.
16
(d) EFFECT
OF ADMISSION
ON HOUSE
OF REP-
17
RESENTATIVES MEMBERSHIP.—
18
(1) PERMANENT
INCREASE
IN
NUMBER
OF
19
MEMBERS.—Effective with respect to the Congress
20
during which the State is admitted into the Union
21
and each succeeding Congress, the House of Rep-
22
resentatives shall be composed of 436 Members, in-
23
cluding any Members representing the State.
24
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•HR 51 IH
(2) INITIAL
NUMBER
OF
REPRESENTATIVES
1
FOR STATE.—Until the taking effect of the first ap-
2
portionment of Members occurring after the admis-
3
sion of the State into the Union, the State shall be
4
entitled to one Representative in the House of Rep-
5
resentatives upon its admission into the Union.
6
(3) APPORTIONMENT OF MEMBERS RESULTING
7
FROM ADMISSION OF STATE.—
8
(A) APPORTIONMENT.—Section 22(a) of
9
the Act entitled ‘‘An Act to provide for the fif-
10
teenth and subsequent decennial censuses and
11
to provide for apportionment of Representatives
12
in Congress’’, approved June 18, 1929 (2
13
U.S.C. 2a(a)), is amended by striking ‘‘the then
14
existing number of Representatives’’ and insert-
15
ing ‘‘436 Representatives’’.
16
(B) EFFECTIVE
DATE.—The amendment
17
made by subparagraph (A) shall apply with re-
18
spect to the first regular decennial census con-
19
ducted after the admission of the State into the
20
Union and each subsequent regular decennial
21
census.
22
SEC. 103. ISSUANCE OF PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION.
23
(a) IN GENERAL.—The President, upon the certifi-
24
cation of the results of the elections of the officers re-
25
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•HR 51 IH
quired to be elected as provided in section 102(a), shall,
1
not later than 90 days after receiving such certification
2
pursuant to section 102(b)(2), issue a proclamation an-
3
nouncing the results of such elections as so ascertained.
4
(b) ADMISSION OF STATE UPON ISSUANCE OF PROC-
5
LAMATION.—Upon the issuance of the proclamation by the
6
President under subsection (a), the State shall be declared
7
admitted into the Union as provided in section 101(a).
8
Subtitle B—Seat of Government of
9
the United States
10
SEC. 111. TERRITORY AND BOUNDARIES.
11
(a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection
12
(b), the State shall consist of all of the territory of the
13
District of Columbia as of the date of the enactment of
14
this Act, subject to the results of the metes and bounds
15
survey conducted under subsection (c).
16
(b) EXCLUSION OF PORTION REMAINING AS SEAT OF
17
GOVERNMENT OF UNITED STATES.—The territory of the
18
State shall not include the area described in section 112,
19
which shall be known as the ‘‘Capital’’ and shall serve as
20
the seat of the Government of the United States, as pro-
21
vided in clause 17 of section 8 of article I of the Constitu-
22
tion of the United States.
23
(c) METES AND BOUNDS SURVEY.—Not later than
24
180 days after the date of the enactment of this Act, the
25
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•HR 51 IH
President (in consultation with the Chair of the National
1
Capital Planning Commission) shall conduct a metes and
2
bounds survey of the Capital, as described in section
3
112(b).
4
SEC. 112. DESCRIPTION OF CAPITAL.
5
(a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to subsection (c), upon
6
the admission of the State into the Union, the Capital
7
shall consist of the property described in subsection (b)
8
and shall include the principal Federal monuments, the
9
White House, the Capitol Building, the United States Su-
10
preme Court Building, and the Federal executive, legisla-
11
tive, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the
12
Mall and the Capitol Building (as such terms are used
13
in section 8501(a) of title 40, United States Code).
14
(b) GENERAL DESCRIPTION.—Upon the admission of
15
the State into the Union, the boundaries of the Capital
16
shall be as follows: Beginning at the intersection of the
17
southern right-of-way of F Street NE and the eastern
18
right-of-way of 2nd Street NE;
19
(1) thence south along said eastern right-of-way
20
of 2nd Street NE to its intersection with the north-
21
eastern right-of-way of Maryland Avenue NE;
22
(2) thence southwest along said northeastern
23
right-of-way of Maryland Avenue NE to its intersec-
24
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