II 

114TH CONGRESS 

1ST SESSION S. 1688 

To provide for the admission of the State of New Columbia into the Union. 

IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES 

JUNE 25, 2015 

Mr. CARPER (for himself, Ms. BALDWIN, Mrs. BOXER, Mr. BOOKER, Mr. 

BROWN, Mr. COONS, Mr. DURBIN, Mr. FRANKEN, Mrs. GILLIBRAND, Mr. 

LEAHY, Mr. MARKEY, Mrs. MURRAY, Mr. SANDERS, Mr. SCHUMER, Ms. 

WARREN, Mr. CARDIN, Mr. REID, and Ms. MIKULSKI) introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the Committee on 

Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs 

A BILL 

To provide for the admission of the State of New Columbia 

into the Union. 

1 Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representa2 tives of the United States of America in Congress assembled, 

3 SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE; TABLE OF CONTENTS. 

4 (a) SHORT TITLE.—This Act may be cited as the 

5 ‘‘New Columbia Admission Act’’. 

6 (b) TABLE OF CONTENTS.—The table of contents of 

7 this Act is as follows: 

Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents. 

TITLE I—STATE OF NEW COLUMBIA 


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Subtitle A—Procedures for Admission 

Sec. 101. Admission into the Union. 

Sec. 102. Process for admission. 

Sec. 103. Election of officials of State. 

Sec. 104. Issuance of presidential proclamation. 

Subtitle B—Description of New Columbia Territory 

Sec. 111. Territories and boundaries of New Columbia. 

Sec. 112. Description of District of Columbia after admission of State. 

Sec. 113. Continuation of title to lands and property. 

Subtitle C—General Provisions Relating to Laws of New Columbia 

Sec. 121. Limitation on authority of State to tax Federal property. 

Sec. 122. Effect of admission of State on current laws. 

Sec. 123. Continuation of judicial proceedings. 

Sec. 124. United States nationality. 

TITLE II—RESPONSIBILITIES AND INTERESTS OF FEDERAL 

GOVERNMENT 

Sec. 201. Continuation of revised District of Columbia as seat of Federal Government. 

Sec. 202. Treatment of military lands. 

Sec. 203. Waiver of claims to Federal lands and property. 

Sec. 204. Permitting individuals residing in new seat of government to vote in 

Federal elections in State of most recent domicile. 

Sec. 205. Repeal of law providing for participation of District of Columbia in 

election of President and Vice-President. 

Sec. 206. Expedited consideration of constitutional amendment. 

TITLE III—GENERAL PROVISIONS 

Sec. 301. General definitions. 

Sec. 302. Certification of enactment by President. 

1 TITLE I—STATE OF NEW 

2 COLUMBIA 

3 Subtitle A—Procedures for 

4 Admission 

5 SEC. 101. ADMISSION INTO THE UNION. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the provisions of this 

7 Act, upon issuance of the proclamation required by section 

8 104(b), the State of New Columbia is declared to be a 

9 State of the United States of America, and is declared 


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1 admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the other 

2 States in all respects whatever. 

3 (b) CONSTITUTION OF STATE.—The State Constitu4 tion shall always be republican in form and shall not be 

5 repugnant to the Constitution of the United States and 

6 the principles of the Declaration of Independence. 

7 SEC. 102. PROCESS FOR ADMISSION. 

8 (a) APPROVAL OF ADMISSION BY VOTERS OF DIS9 TRICT OF COLUMBIA.— 

10 (1) ELECTION PROCEDURES.—At an election 

11 designated by proclamation of the Mayor, which may 

12 be the primary or the general election held pursuant 

13 to section 103(a), a general election, or a special 

14 election, there shall be submitted to the electors 

15 qualified to vote in such election the following propo16 sitions for adoption or rejection: 

17 ‘‘(A) New Columbia shall immediately be 

18 admitted into the Union as a State. 

19 ‘‘(B) The proposed Constitution for the 

20 State of New Columbia, as adopted by the 

21 Council of the District of Columbia pursuant to 

22 the Constitution for the State of New Columbia 

23 Approval Act of 1987 (D.C. Law 7–8), shall be 

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1 tion for the State of New Columbia ratified on 

2 November 2, 1982. 

3 ‘‘(C) The boundaries of the State of New 

4 Columbia shall be as prescribed in the New Co5 lumbia Admission Act. 

6 ‘‘(D) All provisions of the New Columbia 

7 Admission Act, including provisions reserving 

8 rights or powers to the United States and pro9 visions prescribing the terms or conditions of 

10 the grants of lands or other property made to 

11 the State of New Columbia, are consented to 

12 fully by the State and its people.’’. 

13 (2) RESPONSIBILITIES OF MAYOR.—The Mayor 

14 of the District of Columbia is authorized and di15 rected to take such action as may be necessary or 

16 appropriate to ensure the submission of such propo17 sitions to the people. The return of the votes cast on 

18 such propositions shall be made by the election offi19 cers directly to the Board of Elections of the Dis20 trict of Columbia, which shall certify the results of 

21 the submission to the Mayor. The Mayor shall cer22 tify the results of such submission to the President 

23 of the United States. 

24 (b) EFFECT OF VOTE.— 


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1 (1) ADOPTION OF PROPOSITIONS.—In the event 

2 the propositions described in subsection (a) are 

3 adopted in an election under such subsection by a 

4 majority of the legal votes cast on such submis5 sion— 

6 (A) the State Constitution shall be deemed 

7 ratified; and 

8 (B) the President shall issue a proclama9 tion pursuant to section 104. 

10 (2) REJECTION OF PROPOSITION.—In the event 

11 any one of the propositions described in subsection 

12 (a) is not adopted in an election under such sub13 section by a majority of the legal votes cast on such 

14 submission, the provisions of this Act shall cease to 

15 be effective. 

16 SEC. 103. ELECTION OF OFFICIALS OF STATE. 

17 (a) ISSUANCE OF PROCLAMATION.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—Not more than 30 days after 

19 receiving certification of the enactment of this Act 

20 from the President pursuant to section 302, the 

21 Mayor of the District of Columbia shall issue a proc22 lamation for the first elections, subject to the provi23 sions of this section, for two Senators and one Rep24 resentative in Congress. 


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1 (2) SPECIAL RULE FOR ELECTION OF SEN2 ATORS.—In the election of Senators from the State 

3 pursuant to paragraph (1), the 2 Senate offices shall 

4 be separately identified and designated, and no per5 son may be a candidate for both offices. No such 

6 identification or designation of either of the offices 

7 shall refer to or be taken to refer to the terms of 

8 such offices, or in any way impair the privilege of 

9 the Senate to determine the class to which each of 

10 the Senators elected shall be assigned. 

11 (b) RULES FOR CONDUCTING ELECTION.— 

12 (1) IN GENERAL.—The proclamation of the 

13 Mayor issued under subsection (a) shall provide for 

14 the holding of a primary election and a general elec15 tion and at such elections the officers required to be 

16 elected as provided in subsection (a) shall be chosen 

17 by the qualified electors of the District of Columbia 

18 in the manner required by law. 

19 (2) CERTIFICATION OF RETURNS.—Election re20 turns shall be made and certified in the manner re21 quired by law, except that the Mayor shall also cer22 tify the results of such elections to the President of 

23 the United States. 

24 (c) ASSUMPTION OF DUTIES.—Upon the admission 

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1 tive elected at the election described in subsection (a) shall 

2 be entitled to be admitted to seats in Congress and to all 

3 the rights and privileges of Senators and Representatives 

4 of other States in the Congress of the United States. 

5 (d) TRANSFER OF OFFICES OF MAYOR AND MEM6 BERS AND CHAIR OF COUNCIL.—Upon the admission of 

7 the State into the Union, the Mayor, members of the 

8 Council, and the Chair of the Council at the time of admis9 sion shall be deemed the Governor, members of the House 

10 of Delegates, and the President of the House of Delegates 

11 of the State, respectively, as provided by the State Con12 stitution and the laws of the State. 

13 (e) CONTINUATION OF AUTHORITY AND DUTIES AND

14 JUDICIAL AND EXECUTIVE OFFICERS.—Upon the admis15 sion of the State into the Union, members of executive 

16 and judicial offices of the District of Columbia shall be 

17 deemed members of the respective executive and judicial 

18 offices of the State, as provided by the State Constitution 

19 and the laws of the State. 

20 (f) SPECIAL RULE FOR HOUSE OF REPRESENTA21 TIVES MEMBERSHIP.—The State upon its admission into 

22 the Union shall be entitled to one Representative until the 

23 taking effect of the next reapportionment, and such Rep24 resentative shall be in addition to the membership of the 

25 House of Representatives as now prescribed by law, except 


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1 that such temporary increase in the membership shall not 

2 operate to either increase or decrease the permanent mem3 bership of the House of Representatives or affect the basis 

4 of apportionment for the Congress. 

5 SEC. 104. ISSUANCE OF PRESIDENTIAL PROCLAMATION. 

6 (a) IN GENERAL.—If the President finds that the 

7 propositions set forth in section 102(a) have been duly 

8 adopted by the people of the State, the President, upon 

9 certification of the returns of the election of the officers 

10 required to be elected as provided in section 103(a), shall, 

11 not later than 90 days after receiving such certification, 

12 issue a proclamation announcing the results of such elec13 tions as so ascertained. 

14 (b) ADMISSION OF STATE UPON ISSUANCE OF PROC15 LAMATION.—Upon the issuance of the proclamation by the 

16 President under subsection (a), the State shall be deemed 

17 admitted into the Union as provided in section 101. 

18 Subtitle B—Description of New 

19 Columbia Territory 

20 SEC. 111. TERRITORIES AND BOUNDARIES OF NEW COLUM21 BIA. 

22 (a) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in subsection 

23 (b), the State shall consist of all of the territory of the 

24 District of Columbia as of the date of the enactment of 


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1 this Act, subject to the results of the technical survey con2 ducted under subsection (c). 

3 (b) EXCLUSION OF PORTION OF DISTRICT OF CO4 LUMBIA REMAINING AS NATIONAL CAPITAL.—The terri5 tory of the State shall not include the area described in 

6 section 112, which shall remain as the District of Colum7 bia for purposes of serving as the seat of the government 

8 of the United States. 

9 (c) TECHNICAL SURVEY.—Not later than 6 months 

10 after the date of the enactment of this Act, the President 

11 (in consultation with the Chair of the National Capital 

12 Planning Commission) shall conduct a technical survey of 

13 the metes and bounds of the District of Columbia and of 

14 the territory described in section 112(b). 

15 SEC. 112. DESCRIPTION OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA AFTER 

16 ADMISSION OF STATE. 

17 (a) IN GENERAL.—Subject to the succeeding provi18 sions of this section, after the admission of the State into 

19 the Union, the District of Columbia shall consist of the 

20 property described in subsection (b) and shall include the 

21 principal Federal monuments, the White House, the Cap22 itol Building, the United States Supreme Court Building, 

23 and the Federal executive, legislative, and judicial office 

24 buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol 

25 Building. 


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1 (b) SPECIFIC DESCRIPTION OF METES AND

2 BOUNDS.—After the admission of the State into the 

3 Union, the specific metes and bounds of the District of 

4 Columbia shall be as follows: 

5 Beginning at the point on the present Virginia6 District of Columbia boundary due west of the 

7 northernmost point of Theodore Roosevelt Island 

8 and running due east of the eastern shore of the Po9 tomac River; 

10 thence generally south along the shore at the 

11 mean high water mark to the northwest corner of 

12 the Kennedy Center; 

13 thence east along the north side of the Kennedy 

14 Center to a point where it reaches the E Street Ex15 pressway; 

16 thence east on the expressway to E Street 

17 Northwest and thence east on E Street Northwest to 

18 Eighteenth Street Northwest; 

19 thence south on Eighteenth Street Northwest to 

20 Constitution Avenue Northwest; 

21 thence east on Constitution Avenue to Seven22 teenth Street Northwest; 

23 thence north on Seventeenth Street Northwest 

24 to Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest; 


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1 thence east on Pennsylvania Avenue to Jackson 

2 Place Northwest; 

3 thence north on Jackson Place to H Street 

4 Northwest; 

5 thence east on H Street Northwest to Madison 

6 Place Northwest; 

7 thence south on Madison Place Northwest to 

8 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest; 

9 thence east on Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest 

10 to Fifteenth Street Northwest; 

11 thence south on Fifteenth Street Northwest to 

12 Pennsylvania Avenue Northwest; 

13 thence southeast on Pennsylvania Avenue 

14 Northwest to John Marshall Place Northwest; 

15 thence north on John Marshall Place Northwest 

16 to C Street Northwest; 

17 thence east on C Street Northwest to Third 

18 Street Northwest; 

19 thence north on Third Street Northwest to D 

20 Street Northwest; 

21 thence east on D Street Northwest to Second 

22 Street Northwest; 

23 thence south on Second Street Northwest to the 

24 intersection of Constitution Avenue Northwest and 

25 Louisiana Avenue Northwest; 


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1 thence northeast on Louisiana Avenue North2 west to North Capitol Street; 

3 thence north on North Capitol Street to Massa4 chusetts Avenue Northwest; 

5 thence southeast on Massachusetts Avenue 

6 Northwest so as to encompass Union Square; 

7 thence following Union Square to F Street 

8 Northeast; 

9 thence east on F Street Northeast to Second 

10 Street Northeast; 

11 thence south on Second Street Northeast to D 

12 Street Northeast; 

13 thence west on D Street Northeast to First 

14 Street Northeast; 

15 thence south on First Street Northeast to 

16 Maryland Avenue Northeast; 

17 thence generally north and east on Maryland 

18 Avenue to Second Street Northeast; 

19 thence south on Second Street Northeast to C 

20 Street Southeast; 

21 thence west on C Street Southeast to New Jer22 sey Avenue Southeast; 

23 thence south on New Jersey Avenue Southeast 

24 to D Street Southeast; 


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1 thence west on D Street Southeast to Wash2 ington Avenue Southwest; 

3 thence southeast on Washington Avenue South4 west to E Street Southeast; 

5 thence west on E Street Southeast to the inter6 section of Washington Avenue Southwest and South 

7 Capitol Street; 

8 thence northwest on Washington Avenue South9 west to Second Street Southwest; 

10 thence south on Second Street Southwest to 

11 Virginia Avenue Southwest; 

12 thence generally west on Virginia Avenue to 

13 Third Street Southwest; 

14 thence north on Third Street Southwest to C 

15 Street Southwest; 

16 thence west on C Street Southwest to Sixth 

17 Street Southwest; 

18 thence north on Sixth Street Southwest to Inde19 pendence Avenue; 

20 thence west on Independence Avenue to Twelfth 

21 Street Southwest; 

22 thence south on Twelfth Street Southwest to D 

23 Street Southwest; 

24 thence west on D Street Southwest to Four25 teenth Street Southwest; 


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1 thence south on Fourteenth Street Southwest to 

2 the middle of the Washington Channel; 

3 thence generally south and east along the 

4 midchannel of the Washington Channel to a point 

5 due west of the northern boundary line of Fort Les6 ley McNair; 

7 thence due east to the side of the Washington 

8 Channel; 

9 thence following generally south and east along 

10 the side of the Washington Channel at the mean 

11 high water mark, to the point of confluence with the 

12 Anacostia River, and along the northern shore at the 

13 mean high water mark to the northernmost point of 

14 the Eleventh Street Bridge; 

15 thence generally south and east along the 

16 northern side of the Eleventh Street Bridge to the 

17 eastern shore of the Anacostia River; 

18 thence generally south and west along such 

19 shore at the mean high water mark to the point of 

20 confluence of the Anacostia and Potomac Rivers; 

21 thence generally south along the eastern shore 

22 at the mean high water mark of the Potomac River 

23 to the point where it meets the present southeastern 

24 boundary line of the District of Columbia; 


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1 thence south and west along such southeastern 

2 boundary line to the point where it meets the 

3 present Virginia-District of Columbia boundary; and 

4 thence generally north and west up the Poto5 mac River along the present Virginia-District of Co6 lumbia boundary to the point of beginning. 

7 (c) TREATMENT OF CERTAIN PROPERTY.— 

8 (1) STREETS AND SIDEWALKS BOUNDING

9 AREA.—After the admission of the State into the 

10 Union, the District of Columbia shall be deemed to 

11 include any street (together with any sidewalk there12 of) bounding the District of Columbia. 

13 (2) EXCLUSION OF DISTRICT BUILDING.—Not14 withstanding any other provision of this section, the 

15 District of Columbia shall not be considered to in16 clude the District Building after the admission of 

17 the State into the Union. 

18 (3) INCLUSION OF CERTAIN MILITARY PROP19 ERTY.—After the admission of the State into the 

20 Union, the District of Columbia shall be deemed to 

21 include Fort Lesley McNair, the Washington Navy 

22 Yard, the Anacostia Naval Annex, the United States 

23 Naval Station, Bolling Air Force Base, and the 

24 Naval Research Laboratory. 


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1 SEC. 113. CONTINUATION OF TITLE TO LANDS AND PROP2 ERTY. 

3 (a) CONTINUATION OF TITLE TO LANDS OF DIS4 TRICT OF COLUMBIA.— 

5 (1) IN GENERAL.—The State and its political 

6 subdivisions shall have and retain title or jurisdic7 tion for purposes of administration and maintenance 

8 to all property, real and personal, with respect to 

9 which title or jurisdiction for purposes of adminis10 tration and maintenance is held by the District of 

11 Columbia on the day before the State is admitted 

12 into the Union. 

13 (2) CONVEYANCE OF INTEREST IN CERTAIN

14 BRIDGES AND TUNNELS.—On the day before the 

15 State is admitted into the Union, the District of Co16 lumbia shall convey to the United States any and all 

17 interest of the District of Columbia in any bridge or 

18 tunnel that will connect the Commonwealth of Vir19 ginia with the District of Columbia after the admis20 sion of the State into the Union. 

21 (b) CONTINUATION OF FEDERAL TITLE TO PROP22 ERTY IN STATE.—The United States shall have and retain 

23 title or jurisdiction for purposes of administration and 

24 maintenance to all property in the State with respect to 

25 which the United States holds title or jurisdiction on the 

26 day before the State is admitted into the Union. 


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1 Subtitle C—General Provisions 

2 Relating to Laws of New Columbia 

3 SEC. 121. LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY OF STATE TO TAX 

4 FEDERAL PROPERTY. 

5 The State may not impose any taxes upon any lands 

6 or other property owned or acquired by the United States, 

7 except to the extent as Congress may permit. 

8 SEC. 122. EFFECT OF ADMISSION OF STATE ON CURRENT 

9 LAWS. 

10 (a) LEGISLATIVE POWER OF STATE.—The legislative 

11 power of the State shall extend to all rightful subjects of 

12 legislation within the State, consistent with the Constitu13 tion of the United States (including the restrictions and 

14 limitations imposed upon the States by article I, section 

15 10) and subject to the provisions of this Act. 

16 (b) TREATMENT OF FEDERAL LAWS.—To the extent 

17 that any law of the United States applies to the States 

18 generally, the law shall have the same force and effect 

19 within the State as elsewhere in the United States, except 

20 as such law may otherwise provide. 

21 SEC. 123. CONTINUATION OF JUDICIAL PROCEEDINGS. 

22 (a) PENDING PROCEEDINGS.— 

23 (1) IN GENERAL.—No writ, action, indictment, 

24 cause, or proceeding pending in any court of the 

25 District of Columbia or in the United States District 


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1 Court for the District of Columbia shall abate by 

2 reason of the admission of the State into the Union, 

3 but shall be transferred and shall proceed within 

4 such appropriate State courts as shall be established 

5 under the State Constitution, or shall continue in 

6 the United States District Court for the District of 

7 Columbia, as the nature of the case may require. 

8 (2) SUCCESSION OF COURTS.—The appropriate 

9 courts of the State shall be the successors of the 

10 courts of the District of Columbia as to all cases 

11 arising within the limits embraced within the juris12 diction of such courts, with full power to proceed 

13 with such cases, and award mesne or final process 

14 therein, and all files, records, indictments, and pro15 ceedings relating to any such writ, action, indict16 ment, cause, or proceeding shall be transferred to 

17 such appropriate State courts and shall be proceeded 

18 with therein in due course of law. 

19 (b) UNFILED PROCEEDINGS BASED ON ACTIONS

20 PRIOR TO ADMISSION.—All civil causes of action and all 

21 criminal offenses which shall have arisen or been com22 mitted prior to the admission of the State into the Union, 

23 but as to which no writ, action, indictment, or proceeding 

24 shall be pending at the date of such admission, shall be 

25 subject to prosecution in the appropriate State courts or 


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1 in the United States District Court for the District of Co2 lumbia in like manner, to the same extent, and with like 

3 right of appellate review, as if the State had been admitted 

4 and such State courts had been established prior to the 

5 accrual of such causes of action or the commission of such 

6 offenses. 

7 (c) MAINTENANCE OF RIGHTS TO AND JURISDICTION

8 OVER APPEALS.— 

9 (1) CASES DECIDED PRIOR TO ADMISSION.— 

10 Parties shall have the same rights of appeal from 

11 and appellate review of final decisions of the United 

12 States District Court for the District of Columbia or 

13 the District of Columbia Court of Appeals in any 

14 case finally decided prior to the admission of the 

15 State into the Union, whether or not an appeal 

16 therefrom shall have been perfected prior to such ad17 mission. The United States Court of Appeals for the 

18 District of Columbia Circuit and the Supreme Court 

19 of the United States shall have the same jurisdiction 

20 in such cases as by law provided prior to the admis21 sion of the State into the Union. 

22 (2) CASES DECIDED AFTER ADMISSION.—Par23 ties shall have the same rights of appeal from and 

24 appellate review of all orders, judgments, and de25 crees of the United States District Court for the 


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1 District of Columbia and of the highest court of the 

2 State, as successor to the District of Columbia 

3 Court of Appeals, in any case pending at the time 

4 of admission of the State into the Union, and the 

5 United States Court of Appeals for the District of 

6 Columbia Circuit and the Supreme Court of the 

7 United States shall have the same jurisdiction there8 in, as by law provided in any case arising subsequent 

9 to the admission of the State into the Union. 

10 (3) ISSUANCE OF SUBSEQUENT MANDATES.— 

11 Any mandate issued subsequent to the admission of 

12 the State shall be to the United States District 

13 Court for the District of Columbia or a court of the 

14 State, as appropriate. 

15 (d) CONFORMING AMENDMENTS RELATING TO FED16 ERAL COURTS.—Effective upon the admission of the State 

17 into the Union— 

18 (1) section 41 of title 28, United States Code, 

19 is amended in the second column by inserting ‘‘, 

20 New Columbia’’ after ‘‘District of Columbia’’; and 

21 (2) the first paragraph of section 88 of title 28, 

22 United States Code, is amended to read as follows: 

23 ‘‘The District of Columbia and the State of 

24 New Columbia comprise one judicial district.’’. 


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1 SEC. 124. UNITED STATES NATIONALITY. 

2 No provision of this Act shall operate to confer 

3 United States nationality, to terminate nationality lawfully 

4 acquired, or to restore nationality terminated or lost under 

5 any law of the United States or under any treaty to which 

6 the United States is or was a party. 

7 TITLE II—RESPONSIBILITIES 

8 AND INTERESTS OF FEDERAL 

9 GOVERNMENT 

10 SEC. 201. CONTINUATION OF REVISED DISTRICT OF CO11 LUMBIA AS SEAT OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT. 

12 After the admission of the State into the Union, the 

13 seat of the Government of the United States shall be the 

14 District of Columbia as described in section 112 (also 

15 known as ‘‘Washington, DC’’). 

16 SEC. 202. TREATMENT OF MILITARY LANDS. 

17 (a) RESERVATION OF FEDERAL AUTHORITY.— 

18 (1) IN GENERAL.—Subject to paragraph (2) 

19 and subsection (b) and notwithstanding the admis20 sion of the State into the Union, authority is re21 served in the United States for the exercise by Con22 gress of the power of exclusive legislation in all cases 

23 whatsoever over such tracts or parcels of land lo24 cated within the State that, immediately prior to the 

25 admission of the State, are controlled or owned by 


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1 the United States and held for defense or Coast 

2 Guard purposes. 

3 (2) LIMITATION ON AUTHORITY.—The power of 

4 exclusive legislation described in paragraph (1) shall 

5 vest and remain in the United States only so long 

6 as the particular tract or parcel of land involved is 

7 controlled or owned by the United States and used 

8 for defense or Coast Guard purposes. 

9 (b) AUTHORITY OF STATE.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—The reservation of authority 

11 in the United States for the exercise by the Congress 

12 of the United States of the power of exclusive legis13 lation over military lands under subsection (a) shall 

14 not operate to prevent such lands from being a part 

15 of the State, or to prevent the State from exercising 

16 over or upon such lands, concurrently with the 

17 United States, any jurisdiction which it would have 

18 in the absence of such reservation of authority and 

19 which is consistent with the laws hereafter enacted 

20 by Congress pursuant to such reservation of author21 ity. 

22 (2) SERVICE OF PROCESS.—The State shall 

23 have the right to serve civil or criminal process with24 in such tracts or parcels of land in which the author25 ity of the United States is reserved under subsection 


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1 (a) in suits or prosecutions for or on account of 

2 rights acquired, obligations incurred, or crimes com3 mitted within the State but outside of such tracts or 

4 parcels of land. 

5 SEC. 203. WAIVER OF CLAIMS TO FEDERAL LANDS AND 

6 PROPERTY. 

7 (a) IN GENERAL.—As a compact with the United 

8 States, the State and its people disclaim all right and title 

9 to any lands or other property not granted or confirmed 

10 to the State or its political subdivisions by or under the 

11 authority of this Act, the right or title to which is held 

12 by the United States or subject to disposition by the 

13 United States. 

14 (b) EFFECT ON CLAIMS AGAINST UNITED STATES.— 

15 (1) IN GENERAL.—Nothing contained in this 

16 Act shall recognize, deny, enlarge, impair, or other17 wise affect any claim against the United States, and 

18 any such claim shall be governed by applicable laws 

19 of the United States. 

20 (2) RULE OF CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this 

21 Act is intended or shall be construed as a finding, 

22 interpretation, or construction by the Congress that 

23 any applicable law authorizes, establishes, recog24 nizes, or confirms the validity or invalidity of any 

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1 mination of the applicability or effect of any law to 

2 any such claim shall be unaffected by anything in 

3 this Act. 

4 SEC. 204. PERMITTING INDIVIDUALS RESIDING IN NEW 

5 SEAT OF GOVERNMENT TO VOTE IN FEDERAL 

6 ELECTIONS IN STATE OF MOST RECENT 

7 DOMICILE. 

8 (a) REQUIREMENT FOR STATES TO PERMIT INDIVID9 UALS TO VOTE BY ABSENTEE BALLOT.— 

10 (1) IN GENERAL.—Each State shall— 

11 (A) permit absent District of Columbia 

12 voters to use absentee registration procedures 

13 and to vote by absentee ballot in general, spe14 cial, primary, and runoff elections for Federal 

15 office; and 

16 (B) accept and process, with respect to any 

17 general, special, primary, or runoff election for 

18 Federal office, any otherwise valid voter reg19 istration application from an absent District of 

20 Columbia voter, if the application is received by 

21 the appropriate State election official not less 

22 than 30 days before the election. 

23 (2) ABSENT DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA VOTER DE24 FINED.—In this section, the term ‘‘absent District 

25 of Columbia voter’’ means, with respect to a State, 


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1 a person who resides in the District of Columbia 

2 after the admission of the State of New Columbia 

3 into the Union and is qualified to vote in the State 

4 (or who would be qualified to vote in the State but 

5 for residing in the District of Columbia), but only if 

6 the State is the last place in which the person was 

7 domiciled before residing in the District of Colum8 bia. 

9 (3) STATE DEFINED.—In this section, the term 

10 ‘‘State’’ means each of the several States, including 

11 the State of New Columbia. 

12 (b) RECOMMENDATIONS TO STATES TO MAXIMIZE

13 ACCESS TO POLLS BY ABSENT DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA

14 VOTERS.—To afford maximum access to the polls by ab15 sent District of Columbia voters, it is recommended that 

16 the States— 

17 (1) waive registration requirements for absent 

18 District of Columbia voters who, by reason of resi19 dence in the District of Columbia, do not have an 

20 opportunity to register; 

21 (2) expedite processing of balloting materials 

22 with respect to such individuals; and 

23 (3) assure that absentee ballots are mailed to 

24 such individuals at the earliest opportunity. 


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1 (c) ENFORCEMENT.—The Attorney General may 

2 bring a civil action in appropriate district court for such 

3 declaratory or injunctive relief as may be necessary to 

4 carry out this section. 

5 (d) EFFECT ON CERTAIN OTHER LAWS.—The exer6 cise of any right under this section shall not affect, for 

7 purposes of any Federal, State, or local tax, the residence 

8 or domicile of a person exercising such right. 

9 (e) EFFECTIVE DATE.—This section shall take effect 

10 upon the date of the admission of the State into the 

11 Union, and shall apply with respect to elections for Fed12 eral office taking place on or after such date. 

13 SEC. 205. REPEAL OF LAW PROVIDING FOR PARTICIPATION 

14 OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA IN ELECTION OF 

15 PRESIDENT AND VICE-PRESIDENT. 

16 (a) IN GENERAL.—Title 3, United States Code, is 

17 amended by striking section 21. 

18 (b) EFFECTIVE DATE.—The amendment made by 

19 subsection (a) shall take effect upon the date of the admis20 sion of the State into the Union, and shall apply to any 

21 election of the President and Vice-President of the United 

22 States taking place on or after such date. 


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1 SEC. 206. EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF CONSTITU2 TIONAL AMENDMENT. 

3 (a) EXERCISE OF RULEMAKING AUTHORITY.—This 

4 section is enacted by Congress— 

5 (1) as an exercise of the rulemaking power of 

6 the Senate and the House of Representatives, re7 spectively, and as such these provisions are deemed 

8 a part of the rule of each House, respectively, but 

9 applicable only with respect to the procedure to be 

10 followed in that House in the case of a joint resolu11 tion described in subsection (b), and they supersede 

12 other rules only to the extent that they are incon13 sistent therewith; and 

14 (2) with full recognition of the constitutional 

15 right of either House to change the rule (so far as 

16 relating to the procedure of that House) at any time, 

17 in the same manner and to the same extent as in 

18 the case of any other rule of that House. 

19 (b) EXPEDITED CONSIDERATION OF REPEAL OF

20 23RD AMENDMENT.— 

21 (1) MOTION MADE IN ORDER.—At any time 

22 after the date of the enactment of this Act, it shall 

23 be in order in either the House of Representatives 

24 or the Senate to offer a motion to proceed to the 

25 consideration of a joint resolution proposing an 

26 amendment to the Constitution of the United States 


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1 repealing the 23rd article of amendment to the Con2 stitution. 

3 (2) PROCEDURES RELATING TO MOTION.—With 

4 respect to the motion described in paragraph (1), 

5 the following rules shall apply: 

6 (A) The motion is highly privileged and is 

7 not debatable. 

8 (B) An amendment to the motion is not in 

9 order, and it is not in order to move to recon10 sider the vote by which the motion is agreed to 

11 or disagreed to. 

12 (C) A motion to postpone shall be decided 

13 without debate. 

14 TITLE III—GENERAL 

15 PROVISIONS 

16 SEC. 301. GENERAL DEFINITIONS. 

17 In this Act, the following definitions shall apply: 

18 (1) The term ‘‘Council’’ means the Council of 

19 the District of Columbia. 

20 (2) The term ‘‘Governor’’ means the Governor 

21 of the State of New Columbia. 

22 (3) The term ‘‘Mayor’’ means the Mayor of the 

23 District of Columbia. 

24 (4) The term ‘‘State Constitution’’ means the 

25 constitution of the State of New Columbia, as adoptVerDate Sep 11 2014 23:10 Jun 30, 2015 Jkt 049200 PO 00000 Frm 00028 Fmt 6652 Sfmt 6201 E:\BILLS\S1688.IS S1688

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1 ed by the Council of the District of Columbia in the 

2 Constitution for the State of New Columbia Ap3 proval Act of 1987 (D.C. Law 7–8). 

4 (5) Except as otherwise provided, the term 

5 ‘‘State’’ means the State of New Columbia. 

6 SEC. 302. CERTIFICATION OF ENACTMENT BY PRESIDENT. 

7 Not more than 60 days after the date of enactment 

8 of this Act, the President shall certify such enactment to 

9 the Mayor of the District of Columbia. 

Æ 


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