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This legislation proposes a significant change to the political status of the nation's capital by admitting most of the District of Columbia as the 51st state. Under the plan, the new state would be named the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth. A small portion of the current district—including the U.S. Capitol, the White House, the Supreme Court, and the National Mall—would remain a separate federal district known as the Capital, serving as the seat of the federal government as required by the Constitution.
If enacted, residents of the new state would gain full voting representation in Congress, including two U.S. Senators and one member of the House of Representatives. The current office of the D.C. Delegate would be eliminated. The state would be prohibited from taxing federal property unless permitted by Congress, and existing district laws and judicial proceedings would transition to the new state's authority.
The bill also outlines the transfer of various administrative responsibilities from the federal government to the new state. This includes the management of judge retirement funds and public defender services, provided the state can demonstrate it has the necessary laws and funding in place. A transition commission would be established to advise officials on the orderly shift from a federal district to a sovereign state.
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Introduced in Senate
Jan 9, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Jan 9, 2025
Introduced in Senate
Jan 9, 2025
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs.
Jan 9, 2025
No CBO cost estimate has been published for this bill.