Washington, D.C. Admission Act

Bill: 116-hr-51
Sponsor: Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
Introduced: 2019-01-03 in the House
Policy area: Government Operations and Politics
Subjects: Congressional districts and representation
Congressional elections
Constitution and constitutional amendments
District of Columbia
Elections, voting, political campaign regulation
Government buildings, facilities, and property
House of Representatives
Legislative rules and procedure
Members of Congress
State and local government operations

Summary:
action_date: 2019-01-03
text: 

Washington, D.C. Admission Act
 
 
This bill provides for admission into the United States of the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia. The state shall be admitted to the Union on an equal footing with the other states. 
 
The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the state. 
 
The bill applies current District of Columbia laws to the state and continues pending judicial proceedings. 
 
The state (1) shall consist of all District territory, with specified exclusions for federal buildings and monuments, including the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol Building; and (2) may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits. 
 
The bill maintains (1) the District as the seat of the federal government, and (2) the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property.
 
The bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution repealing the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for the appointment of electors of the President and Vice President. 

action_date: 2020-06-26
text: 

Washington, D.C. Admission Act

 
This bill admits certain portions of Washington, DC as the 51st state. The bill defines 
state
 as the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth. 
 
TITLE I--STATE OF WASHINGTON, D.C.
 
Subtitle A--Procedures for Admission
 
(Sec. 101) This subtitle provides for admission into the United States of the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, on an equal footing with the other states.
 
The state's constitution shall always be republican in form and shall not be repugnant to the U.S. Constitution or the principles of the Declaration of Independence.
 
(Sec. 102) The Mayor of the District of Columbia must issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative from the state.
 
A special rule is established for the election of the Senators. The proclamation must provide for a primary and general election that allows the two Senators and one Representative to be elected by qualified District voters.
 
In addition, this subtitle (1) permanently increases membership in the House of Representatives from 435 to 436 Members; and (2) entitles the state to one Representative upon its admission into the Union, until the first apportionment of Members of Congress after admission to statehood.
 
(Sec. 103) The President must issue a proclamation announcing the results of the election of the two Senators and one Representative and upon such issuance, the state shall be declared admitted into the Union.
 
Subtitle B--Seat of Government of the United States
 
(Sec. 111) This subtitle declares that the state shall consists of all of District territory as of enactment of this bill, with specified exclusions for federal buildings and monuments, including the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol Building,
 
District territory excluded from the state shall be known as the 
Capital
 and shall be the seat of the federal government. The John A. Wilson Building shall not be included in the Capital. The entirety of the Frances Perkins Building, including any portion of the building located north of D Street NW, shall be included in the Capital. 
 
(Sec. 113) The state and the Capital shall each maintain title and jurisdiction over all real and personal property held by them before the state was admitted into the Union.
 
(Sec. 114) This section requires current District laws to apply in the Capital.
 
(Sec. 115) This section renames the District of Columbia National Guard as the Capital National Guard and makes it an exclusive federal entity for the Capital.
 
(Sec. 116) This section declares that the Capital is neither a government nor a body corporate for municipal purposes.
 
Subtitle C--General Provisions Relating to Laws of State 
 
(Sec. 121) This subtitle declares that
 
 
the legislative powers of the state extend to all rightful subjects;
 
members of District executive, legislative, and judicial offices are members of the respective state offices;
 
generally, federal laws that apply to the states apply to the state;
 
the state is the successor to the District for interstate compacts;
 
the U.S. Capitol Police, the U.S. Park Police, and the U.S. Secret Service Uniformed Division may not enforce state laws, except as authorized by the state;
 
the state shall continue all pending legal proceedings; and
 
this bill does not affect U.S. nationality.
 
 
(Sec. 123) This section prohibits the state from imposing taxes on federal property, except as Congress permits.
 
TITLE II--INTERESTS OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
 
Subtitle A--Federal Property
 
(Sec. 201) This subtitle maintains the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property.
 
Subtitle B--Federal Courts
 
(Sec. 211) This subtitle prospectively requires each circuit judge to reside within the circuit for which the judge was appointed at the time of appointment and thereafter while in active service. In addition, judges for the federal judicial circuit must reside within 50 miles of the Capital.
 
Furthermore, district judges, U.S. Attorneys, U.S. Marshals, and clerks of district courts must reside in the district or one of the districts for which the individual was appointed.
 
(Sec. 212) This section renames (1) the District judicial circuit the Capital circuit consisting of the Capital and the state; and (2) the District judicial district the Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and the Capital. It also requires the court of such district to hold proceedings in the Capital.
 
(Sec. 214) This section requires the District of Columbia Pretrial Services Agency to provide pretrial services for the judicial district until the state certifies it has in effect laws providing for pretrial services.
 
Subtitle C--Federal Elections
 
(Sec. 221) This subtitle requires states, if the application is received by the state within 30 days before such election, to permit certain absent Capital voters to (1) use absentee registration procedures, (2) vote by absentee ballot in federal elections, and (3) accept any otherwise valid voter registration application from such voter. In addition, it urges states to afford maximum access to the polls by such voters.
 
(Sec. 222) This section abolishes the Office of Delegate to the House of Representatives from the District.
 
(Sec. 223) This section provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution repealing the 23rd Amendment to the Constitution which provides for the appointment of electors of the President and Vice-President.
 
TITLE III--CONTINUATION OF CERTAIN AUTHORITIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
 
Subtitle A--Employee Benefits
 
(Sec. 301) This subtitle continues existing federal or District benefit payments to individuals under certain retirement programs.
 
Subtitle B--Agencies
 
(Sec. 311) This subtitle continues the existing operations or funding for
 
 
 the District of Columbia Public Defender Service, including allowing the state to rename the service after its admission into the Union;
 
 federal benefits for the service's employees;
 
assigning of assistant U.S. Attorneys to the state for criminal prosecutions in its name;
 
 providing service by the U.S. Marshall Service to the state's courts and court system, except that the President is prohibited from appointing a U.S. Marshall for any state court;
 
monitoring of individuals convicted of felonies under District law housed in Bureau of Prisons or Department of Corrections facilities;
 
the U.S. Parole Commission's authority over felons imprisoned under District law before and after the state's admission; and
 
the District courts and court system, including federal benefits for their employees.
 
 
Furthermore, this subtitle renames the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for the District of Columbia as the Court Services and Offender Supervision Agency for Washington, Douglass Commonwealth after the state is admitted into the Union.
 
Subtitle C--Other Programs and Authorities
 
(Sec. 321) This subtitle continues to apply to the state or the Capital, among other requirements
 
 
college tuition assistance, including the state's designated public institution of higher education as the successor to the University of the District of Columbia;
 
tuition assistance for public schools and public charter schools;
 
the Medicaid federal medical assistance percentage;
 
residency requirements of the National Capital Planning Commission in addition to decreasing its membership from five to four with each member being appointed by the President and one being a resident of the state; and
 
the role of the Army Corps of Engineers in supplying water to the state or the Capital.
 
 
In addition, this subtitle 
 
 
replaces District with Capital
 
with respect to the U.S. Commission of Fine Arts' duty to advise on the Capital 's location of statues, fountains, and monuments in the public squares, streets, and parks; and
 
declares that the Commemorative Works Act only applies to commemorative works in the Capital and its environs.
 
 
The location of any person in the Capital or the state after its admission is deemed to satisfy any existing requirements under any law that the person be located in the District.
 
The continuation of federal authorities and responsibilities in these subtitles shall cease once the state certifies that it is prepared to take over these authorities and responsibilities.
 
TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS
 
(Sec. 402) This section establishes the Statehood Transition Commission to advise the President, Congress, and the executive and legislative authorities of the District concerning an orderly transition to statehood for the District and to a reduced geographical size of the seat of the federal government, including with respect to property, funding, programs, projects, and activities.


Legislative actions:
action_date: 2020-09-08
text: Read the second time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 522.
action_date: 2020-08-13
text: Read the first time. Placed on Senate Legislative Calendar under Read the First Time.
action_date: 2020-06-29
text: Received in the Senate.
action_date: 2020-06-26
text: Motion to reconsider laid on the table Agreed to without objection.
action_date: 2020-06-26
text: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 232 - 180 (Roll no. 122). (text: CR H2521-2531)
action_date: 2020-06-26
text: Passed/agreed to in House: On passage Passed by the Yeas and Nays: 232 - 180 (Roll no. 122).(text: CR H2521-2531)
action_date: 2020-06-26
text: On motion to recommit with instructions Failed by the Yeas and Nays: 182 - 227 (Roll no. 121).
action_date: 2020-06-26
text: Considered as unfinished business. (consideration: CR H2555-2557)
action_date: 2020-06-26
text: POSTPONED PROCEEDINGS - At the conclusion of debate on the motion to recommit with instructions, the Chair put the question on the motion and by voice vote, announced that the noes had prevailed. Mr. Keller demanded the yeas and nays and the Chair postponed further consideration on the motion to recommit until a time to be announced.
action_date: 2020-06-26
text: The previous question on the motion to recommit with instructions was ordered without objection.
action_date: 2020-06-26
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with 10 minutes of debate on the Keller motion to recommit with instructions. The instructions contained in the motion seek to require the bill to be reported back to the House with an amendment requiring the President to make specified amendments to the State Constitution.
action_date: 2020-06-26
text: Mr. Keller moved to recommit with instructions to the Committee on Oversight and Reform. (text: CR H2542-2543)
action_date: 2020-06-26
text: The previous question was ordered pursuant to the rule.
action_date: 2020-06-26
text: DEBATE - The House proceeded with one hour of debate on H.R. 51.
action_date: 2020-06-26
text: Considered under the provisions of rule H. Res. 1017. (consideration: CR H2521-2544)
action_date: 2019-12-19
text: Committee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2019-09-19
text: Committee Hearings Held.
action_date: 2019-01-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2019-01-03
text: Referred to the Committee on Oversight and Reform, and in addition to the Committee on Rules, for a period to be subsequently determined by the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned.
action_date: 2019-01-03
text: Introduced in House
action_date: 2019-01-03
text: Introduced in House