S 51119th CongressIn Committee

Washington, D.C. Admission Act

Introduced: Jan 9, 2025

Standard Summary

Comprehensive overview in 1-2 paragraphs

The Washington, D.C. Admission Act would admit Washington, Douglass Commonwealth (the District of Columbia) as a new U.S. state. At the same time, it creates a separate federally controlled capital area called the Capital, which would serve as the seat of the U.S. Government and would be carved out from the new state’s territory. The bill would grant the new state two U.S. Senate seats and one Representative in the House (with the overall House size adjusted to 436 members and the new state receiving one initial seat). It also prescribes how elections would be conducted, how the Presidential proclamation would be issued, and how the Capital would interact with federal power and law. The Act contains extensive provisions to preserve federal property, the federal government’s authority over the Capital, and the transition of local functions, while limiting the new state’s ability to tax federal property and preserving certain current federal arrangements. In short, the bill would add a new state (the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth) while keeping a distinct, federally administered Capital area. This would reshape representation in Congress, define the Capital’s geography and governance, and set detailed rules for how federal and local functions would operate during and after the transition.

Key Points

1Admits a new State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth into the Union, with a republican state constitution compatible with the U.S. Constitution and the Declaration of Independence.
2Elections and representation:
3- The Mayor (of the District) would issue proclamations for the first elections to 2 Senators and 1 Representative, with rules ensuring Senators are separately identified for election.
4- Elections would follow the District of Columbia’s law, with results certified to the President.
5- Upon admission, the elected Senators and Representative would be seated in Congress.
6- House of Representatives would permanently have 436 Members; initially the new state would have 1 Representative, with apportionment adjusted to 436 after the first regular decennial census following admission.
7Capital (seat of government) design and status:
8- Most of the District’s territory would become the new state, but a specific Capital area would be excluded and designated as the Capital, serving as the seat of the U.S. Government.
9- The Capital would include major federal buildings and monuments (e.g., White House, Capitol, Supreme Court, etc.) and have precisely defined, metes-and-bounds boundaries.
10- The John A. Wilson Building would be excluded from the Capital; the Frances Perkins Building would be included in the Capital.
11- The Capital would cease to be a municipal corporation after admission.
12Legal and property transitions:
13- The United States would retain title to, or jurisdiction over, federal lands that existed the day before admission; the new Capital and state government would share or exercise jurisdiction as allowed by future federal law.
14- The new state cannot tax real or personal property owned by the United States (federal property tax limitation).
15Effect on current laws and governance:
16- District of Columbia laws would generally continue to apply in the Capital as federal laws within the Capital.
17- The District’s existing contracts, interstate compacts, and certain boards/commissions would transition to the new state as applicable.
18- U.S. Capitol Police, Park Police, and Secret Service uniformed division authorities would operate under the Capital’s governance to the extent allowed by the Act.
19Federal interests and agencies (Title II):
20- Federal lands and property outside the Capital would remain under federal authority; the State would not override federal control where Congress has reserved exclusive jurisdiction.
21- Numerous references to replacing “District of Columbia” with “Capital” in federal statutes (e.g., National Guard terminology, courts, DoJ provisions, etc.), creating a coordinated framework for the Capital National Guard and related federal programs.
22Federal elections and 23rd Amendment:
23- Provisions to allow Capital residents to participate in federal elections in the state of their domicile (for federal offices), and to repeal the DC electoral participation provision and related 23rd Amendment mechanisms through expedited constitutional amendment procedures.
24Transition and certification:
25- A Statehood Transition Commission would oversee the transition; the President would certify enactment, and the Act includes severability and a provision for nonseverability (if one part is invalid, the rest could also be invalid).
26Additional transition provisions:
27- A careful metes-and-bounds survey of the Capital would be required within 180 days of enactment to confirm its boundaries.
28- The law ensures continuity of ongoing matters and respects existing contracts and obligations, subject to the new State’s and Capital’s structures.

Impact Areas

Primary group/area affected- Residents of the District of Columbia, particularly those who would become residents of the new State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and who would gain representation in Congress (2 Senators and 1 Representative) while the Capital area remains federally controlled.- The Capital’s residents would gain a new state citizenship framework and representation, but the Capital itself would not be a municipality and would be governed largely under federal authority for the Capital.Secondary group/area affected- Federal employees, agencies, and property located in the Capital, as the Act preserves federal control over Capital lands and adjusts terminology and governance for a Capital National Guard and related federal programs.- National security and law enforcement within the Capital, including Capitol Police and Secret Service roles, would operate under the new framework, with authority sharing and jurisdictional adjustments as described.Additional impacts- Tax and legal systems: The State may not tax federal property; federal laws applicable generally would apply in the Capital; ongoing contracts and interstate compacts involving DC would transition to the new state.- Constitutional and electoral framework: The proposal contemplates a streamlined path to repealing the 23rd Amendment and adjusting presidential electoral rules for the Capital’s residents, using expedited constitutional amendment procedures.- Structural changes: The District’s status as a municipal corporation would end; the Capital would be a separate federal seat, with a specially defined boundary and governance approach, and the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth would operate as a typical state with its own constitution and government.“Metes and bounds survey” means a precise, boundary-by-boundary description of land using survey measurements.“Capital” is a defined, federally controlled seat of government area distinct from the rest of the new state territory.The bill explicitly includes nonseverability language, meaning if any part is declared invalid, the rest could also be impacted.The Act contemplates a significant but complex transition period with a dedicated Statehood Transition Commission and presidential certification.

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