Washington, D.C. Admission Act
Sponsored By: Senator Chris Van Hollen
Introduced
Summary
This bill would admit the District of Columbia as the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, giving its residents full congressional representation. It would also carve out a separate federal 'Capital' around core federal buildings and set a staged transition for courts, services, and federal property.
Show full summary
- Residents: District residents would gain two Senators and one Representative immediately upon admission and the current non‑voting Delegate office would be repealed.
- Territory and federal limits: A defined Capital area including the Capitol, White House, Supreme Court, and adjacent federal lands would remain under U.S. title or jurisdiction and generally would not be subject to state taxation except where Congress permits.
- Courts, justice, and transition supports: The bill would keep federal prosecution support, U.S. Marshals services, pretrial and public defender arrangements, and Bureau of Prisons housing rules during transition; it would provide a temporary Federal Medical Assistance Percentage uplift for five years and establish an 18‑member Statehood Transition Commission to oversee the change.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
9 provisions identified: 8 benefits, 0 costs, 1 mixed.
DC federal retirement payments kept
If enacted, people entitled to federal payments under the District of Columbia Retirement Protection Act of 1997 the day before admission would keep receiving those payments the same way after statehood. This preserves existing retirement income for those beneficiaries.
Temporary Medicaid match for new State
If enacted, the new State's Medicaid federal share would equal the District's FMAP as of the day before admission starting on statehood. This parity would apply until the State sends a written certification and is tied to a five‑fiscal‑year revenue test. The rule is meant to keep federal Medicaid payments and provider funding steady during the transition.
Court and criminal justice transition
If enacted, many federal justice services would keep running as before after statehood. The bill would keep pretrial services, offender supervision, parole authority, U.S. Marshals support, and federal prosecutors assigned on detail until the State certifies it has its own laws and staff. Some court employees moving to State offices would keep federal benefit treatment during the transition.
College and scholarship aid continues
If enacted, the District's college access program and scholarship law would apply to the new State and its successor public university after admission. These programs would continue until the State certifies it has laws providing substantially similar tuition help and matching school funding.
Capital planning and name updates
If enacted, federal statutes would be updated to use 'Capital' and 'Washington, Douglass Commonwealth' where appropriate. The National Capital Planning Commission would have new residency rules for some citizen appointees. Memorial and commemorative‑works rules would apply to the Capital and certain nearby federal lands. Being in the Capital or State the day after admission would count as meeting many prior District location requirements.
Nationality and severability protections
If enacted, the Act would not change U.S. nationality or restore or terminate citizenship rights under existing law or treaties. The bill also includes a severability rule so if one part is held invalid, the remaining provisions would stay in effect except for a named exception.
New State representation and voting rules
If enacted, residents of the new State would get two U.S. Senators and one Representative on admission. The House would be set at 436 members for the relevant Congress. The Mayor must call initial elections quickly and the President must proclaim winners within set deadlines. People who live in the Capital but keep a prior State home could register and vote absentee in Federal elections if they meet a 30‑day rule. The bill would also repeal the old nonvoting House Delegate and remove the seat of Government paragraph from the Electoral College rules.
Statehood Transition Commission created
If enacted, the bill would create an 18‑member Statehood Transition Commission to advise the President, Congress, and local leaders on the move to statehood. Appointments must be made within 90 days of enactment. The Commission may hire a Director and staff and would end two years after admission.
Statehood borders, federal land, and taxes
If enacted, the Act would admit the State and define a reduced federal Capital by metes and bounds. The President would do a boundary survey within 180 days. The United States would keep title and exclusive law over defense and Coast Guard lands it owned before admission and the State could not tax U.S. property except where Congress allows. The State would also disclaim claims to U.S. property not granted by the Act.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Chris Van Hollen
MD • D
Cosponsors
Charles Schumer
NY • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Gary Peters
MI • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Angela Alsobrooks
MD • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Tammy Baldwin
WI • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Michael Bennet
CO • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Richard Blumenthal
CT • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Cory Booker
NJ • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Maria Cantwell
WA • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Christopher Coons
DE • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Catherine Cortez Masto
NV • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Tammy Duckworth
IL • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Richard Durbin
IL • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Kirsten Gillibrand
NY • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Maggie Hassan
NH • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Martin Heinrich
NM • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
John Hickenlooper
CO • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Mazie Hirono
HI • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Timothy Kaine
VA • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Andy Kim
NJ • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Amy Klobuchar
MN • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Edward Markey
MA • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Jeff Merkley
OR • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Christopher Murphy
CT • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Patty Murray
WA • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Alex Padilla
CA • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
John Reed
RI • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Jacky Rosen
NV • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Bernie Sanders
VT • I
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Brian Schatz
HI • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Adam Schiff
CA • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Jeanne Shaheen
NH • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Tina Smith
MN • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Mark Warner
VA • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Raphael Warnock
GA • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Elizabeth Warren
MA • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Peter Welch
VT • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Sheldon Whitehouse
RI • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Ron Wyden
OR • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Elissa Slotkin
MI • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Sen. Luján, Ben Ray [D-NM]
NM • D
Sponsored 1/9/2025
Ruben Gallego
AZ • D
Sponsored 2/11/2025
John Fetterman
PA • D
Sponsored 4/10/2025
Lisa Blunt Rochester
DE • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Roll Call Votes
No roll call votes available for this bill.
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