H.R. 8455

[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 8455 Introduced in House (IH)]

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119th CONGRESS
2d Session
H. R. 8455

To repeal an Act entitled ``An Act to retrocede the county of 
Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, to the State of Virginia,'' 
and for other purposes.

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IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

April 22, 2026

Mr. McCormick (for himself and Mr. Carter of Georgia) introduced the 
following bill; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, 
and in addition to the Committee on Oversight and Government Reform, 
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

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A BILL

To repeal an Act entitled ``An Act to retrocede the county of 
Alexandria, in the District of Columbia, to the State of Virginia,'' 
and for other purposes.

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

SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.

This Act may be cited as the ``Make DC Square Again Act''.

SEC. 2. FINDINGS.

Congress finds the following:
(1) Article I, section 8, clause 17 of the Constitution 
known as the Enclave Clause enumerates the power of the Federal 
Government to ``exercise exclusive legislation in all cases 
whatsoever over such District (not exceeding ten miles square) 
as may, by cession of particular States, and the acceptance of 
Congress, become the seat of government of the United States''.
(2) The Constitution does not enumerate authority for the 
Federal Government to retrocede portions of such a district 
back to states.
(3) An Act of Congress approved July 16, 1790, ten miles 
square of territory was accepted from the States of Maryland 
and Virginia to serve the permanent seat of government 
subsequently being known as the District of Columbia.
(4) Act of Congress approved on July 9, 1846, the portion 
of the District of Columbia lying south of the Potomac River 
was ceded back to the State of Virginia in violation of the 
intent and meaning of the Constitution of the United States.
(5) Senator Benjamin Wade of Ohio introduced S. 280 to 
repeal the 1846 Act of retrocession on April 23, 1866, during 
the 1st Session of the 39th Congress.

SEC. 3. REPEAL OF RETROCESSION AND RESTORATION OF TERRITORY.

(a) Repeal.--The Act of July 9, 1846 (9 Stat. 35, Chapter 35), 
entitled ``An Act to Retrocede the County of Alexandria, in the 
District of Columbia, to the State of Virginia'', is repealed.
(b) Restoration.--The territory retroceded under the Act repealed 
by subsection (a), consisting of the area now comprising Arlington 
County, Virginia, and the independent City of Alexandria, Virginia, is 
restored to, and shall constitute part of, the District of Columbia.
(c) Governing Law.--Effective on the date of enactment of this Act, 
the laws of the District of Columbia shall apply to the territory 
restored under subsection (b), and the laws of the Commonwealth of 
Virginia shall cease to apply to such territory, except that--
(1) all rights, titles, and interests in property held by 
any person on such date shall remain undisturbed; and
(2) any civil or criminal proceeding pending in a court of 
the Commonwealth of Virginia on such date arising in such 
territory may be concluded in that court as if this Act had not 
been enacted.
(d) Effective Date.--This Act shall take effect on the first day of 
the first fiscal year beginning after the date of the enactment of this 
Act.
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