[Congressional Bills 119th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[H.R. 3877 Introduced in House (IH)]
<DOC>
119th CONGRESS
1st Session
H. R. 3877
To provide for the retrocession of the District of Columbia to
Maryland, and for other purposes.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
June 10, 2025
Mr. Griffith introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
Committee on the Judiciary, and in addition to the Committees on
Oversight and Government Reform, and Armed Services, 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
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To provide for the retrocession of the District of Columbia to
Maryland, 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; TABLE OF CONTENTS.
(a) Short Title.--This Act may be cited as the ``Washington, D.C.
Residents Voting Act''.
(b) Table of Contents.--The table of contents of this Act is as
follows:
Sec. 1. Short title; table of contents.
TITLE I--RETROCESSION OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TO MARYLAND
Subtitle A--Retrocession
Sec. 101. Retrocession of District of Columbia to Maryland.
Sec. 102. Proclamation regarding acceptance of retrocession by
Maryland.
Subtitle B--Federal District as Seat of Government of the United States
Sec. 111. Description of Federal District.
Sec. 112. National Guard.
Sec. 113. Effect of retrocession on laws in effect in seat of
Government of the United States.
Sec. 114. Termination of legal status of seat of Government of United
States as municipal corporation.
Subtitle C--General Provisions
Sec. 121. Pending actions and proceedings.
Sec. 122. Effect on judicial proceedings pending in District of
Columbia.
Sec. 123. Effect on existing contracts.
TITLE II--INTERESTS OF FEDERAL GOVERNMENT
Subtitle A--Property
Sec. 201. Title to property.
Sec. 202. Treatment of military lands.
Subtitle B--Federal Courts
Sec. 211. Residency requirements for certain Federal officials.
Sec. 212. Renaming of Federal courts.
Sec. 213. Conforming amendments relating to Department of Justice.
Subtitle C--Federal Elections
Sec. 221. Permitting individuals residing in Federal District to vote
in Federal elections in State of most
recent domicile.
Sec. 222. Repeal of Office of District of Columbia Delegate.
Sec. 223. Repeal of law providing for participation of seat of
government in election of President and
Vice-President.
TITLE III--TEMPORARY CONTINUATION OF CERTAIN AUTHORITIES AND
RESPONSIBILITIES
Subtitle A--Continuation of Benefits for Certain Employees of District
of Columbia
Sec. 301. Federal benefit payments under certain retirement programs.
Sec. 302. Continuation of Federal civil service benefits for employees
first employed prior to establishment of
District of Columbia merit personnel
system.
Sec. 303. Obligations of Federal Government under judges' retirement
program.
Sec. 304. Employees of Public Defender Service.
Sec. 305. Employees exercising authority over parole and supervision.
Sec. 306. Employees of courts and court system.
Subtitle B--Other Programs and Authorities
Sec. 311. Designation of District of Columbia felons to facilities of
Bureau of Prisons.
Sec. 312. Application of the College Access Act.
Sec. 313. Application of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results
Act.
Sec. 314. Federal planning commissions.
Sec. 315. Role of Army Corps of Engineers in supplying water.
Sec. 316. Requirements to be located in District of Columbia.
TITLE IV--GENERAL PROVISIONS
Sec. 401. Definition.
Sec. 402. Effect on other laws.
Sec. 403. Effective date.
TITLE I--RETROCESSION OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TO MARYLAND
Subtitle A--Retrocession
SEC. 101. RETROCESSION OF DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA TO MARYLAND.
(a) In General.--Upon the issuance of a proclamation by the
President under section 102(b) and except as provided in subsection
(b), the territory ceded to Congress by the State of Maryland to serve
as the District constituting the permanent seat of the Government of
the United States is ceded and relinquished to the State of Maryland.
(b) Continuation of Federal Control Over Federal District.--
Notwithstanding subsection (a), the Federal District described in
section 111 shall not be ceded and relinquished to the State of
Maryland and shall continue to serve as the permanent seat of the
Government of the United States, and Congress shall continue to
exercise exclusive legislative authority and control over such
District.
SEC. 102. PROCLAMATION REGARDING ACCEPTANCE OF RETROCESSION BY
MARYLAND.
(a) Enactment of Law Accepting Retrocession.--Retrocession under
section 101 shall not take place unless the State of Maryland enacts
legislation to accept such retrocession.
(b) Proclamation by President.--Not later than 30 days after the
State of Maryland enacts legislation accepting the retrocession under
section 101, the President shall issue a proclamation announcing such
acceptance and declaring that the territory ceded to Congress by the
State of Maryland to serve as the District constituting the permanent
seat of the Government of the United States has been ceded back to the
State of Maryland.
Subtitle B--Federal District as Seat of Government of the United States
SEC. 111. DESCRIPTION OF FEDERAL DISTRICT.
(a) In General.--Subject to subsections (c), (d), and (e), upon the
retrocession under section 101, the Federal District shall consist of
the property described in subsection (b) and shall include the
principal Federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the
United States Supreme Court Building, and the Federal executive,
legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall
and the Capitol Building (as such terms are used in section 8501(a) of
title 40, United States Code).
(b) General Description.--Upon the retrocession under section 101,
the boundaries of the Federal District shall be as follows: Beginning
at the intersection of the southern right-of-way of F Street NE and the
eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street NE;
(1) thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 2nd
Street NE to its intersection with the northeastern right-of-
way of Maryland Avenue NE;
(2) thence southwest along said northeastern right-of-way
of Maryland Avenue NE to its intersection with the northern
right-of-way of Constitution Avenue NE;
(3) thence west along said northern right-of-way of
Constitution Avenue NE to its intersection with the eastern
right-of-way of 1st Street NE;
(4) thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 1st
Street NE to its intersection with the southeastern right-of-
way of Maryland Avenue NE;
(5) thence northeast along said southeastern right-of-way
of Maryland Avenue NE to its intersection with the eastern
right-of-way of 2nd Street SE;
(6) thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 2nd
Street SE to the eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street SE;
(7) thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 2nd
Street SE to its intersection with the northern property
boundary of the property designated as Square 760 Lot 803;
(8) thence east along said northern property boundary of
Square 760 Lot 803 to its intersection with the western right-
of-way of 3rd Street SE;
(9) thence south along said western right-of-way of 3rd
Street SE to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of
Independence Avenue SE;
(10) thence west along said northern right-of-way of
Independence Avenue SE to its intersection with the
northwestern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue SE;
(11) thence northwest along said northwestern right-of-way
of Pennsylvania Avenue SE to its intersection with the eastern
right-of-way of 2nd Street SE;
(12) thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 2nd
Street SE to its intersection with the southern right-of-way of
C Street SE;
(13) thence west along said southern right-of-way of C
Street SE to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of
1st Street SE;
(14) thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 1st
Street SE to its intersection with the southern right-of-way of
D Street SE;
(15) thence west along said southern right-of-way of D
Street SE to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of
South Capitol Street;
(16) thence south along said eastern right-of-way of South
Capitol Street to its intersection with the northwestern right-
of-way of Canal Street SE;
(17) thence southeast along said northwestern right-of-way
of Canal Street SE to its intersection with the southern right-
of-way of E Street SE;
(18) thence east along said southern right-of-way of said E
Street SE to its intersection with the western right-of-way of
1st Street SE;
(19) thence south along said western right-of-way of 1st
Street SE to its intersection with the southernmost corner of
the property designated as Square 736S Lot 801;
(20) thence west along a line extended due west from said
corner of said property designated as Square 736S Lot 801 to
its intersection with the southwestern right-of-way of New
Jersey Avenue SE;
(21) thence southeast along said southwestern right-of-way
of New Jersey Avenue SE to its intersection with the
northwestern right-of-way of Virginia Avenue SE;
(22) thence northwest along said northwestern right-of-way
of Virginia Avenue SE to its intersection with the western
right-of-way of South Capitol Street;
(23) thence north along said western right-of-way of South
Capitol Street to its intersection with the southern right-of-
way of E Street SW;
(24) thence west along said southern right-of-way of E
Street SW to its end;
(25) thence west along a line extending said southern
right-of-way of E Street SW westward to its intersection with
the eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street SW;
(26) thence north along said eastern right-of-way of 2nd
Street SW to its intersection with the southwestern right-of-
way of Virginia Avenue SW;
(27) thence northwest along said southwestern right-of-way
of Virginia Avenue SW to its intersection with the western
right-of-way of 3rd Street SW;
(28) thence north along said western right-of-way of 3rd
Street SW to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of
D Street SW;
(29) thence west along said northern right-of-way of D
Street SW to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of
4th Street SW;
(30) thence north along said eastern right-of-way of 4th
Street SW to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of
C Street SW;
(31) thence west along said northern right-of-way of C
Street SW to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of
6th Street SW;
(32) thence north along said eastern right-of-way of 6th
Street SW to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of
Independence Avenue SW;
(33) thence west along said northern right-of-way of
Independence Avenue SW to its intersection with the western
right-of-way of 12th Street SW;
(34) thence south along said western right-of-way of 12th
Street SW to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of
D Street SW;
(35) thence west along said northern right-of-way of D
Street SW to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of
14th Street SW;
(36) thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 14th
Street SW to its intersection with the northeastern boundary of
the Consolidated Rail Corporation railroad easement;
(37) thence southwest along said northeastern boundary of
the Consolidated Rail Corporation railroad easement to its
intersection with the eastern shore of the Potomac River;
(38) thence generally northwest along said eastern shore of
the Potomac River to its intersection with a line extending
westward the northern boundary of the property designated as
Square 12 Lot 806;
(39) thence east along said line extending westward the
northern boundary of the property designated as Square 12 Lot
806 to the northern property boundary of the property
designated as Square 12 Lot 806, and continuing east along said
northern boundary of said property designated as Square 12 Lot
806 to its northeast corner;
(40) thence east along a line extending east from said
northeast corner of the property designated as Square 12 Lot
806 to its intersection with the western boundary of the
property designated as Square 33 Lot 87;
(41) thence south along said western boundary of the
property designated as Square 33 Lot 87 to its intersection
with the northwest corner of the property designated as Square
33 Lot 88;
(42) thence counter-clockwise around the boundary of said
property designated as Square 33 Lot 88 to its southeast
corner, which is along the northern right-of-way of E Street
NW;
(43) thence east along said northern right-of-way of E
Street NW to its intersection with the western right-of-way of
18th Street NW;
(44) thence south along said western right-of-way of 18th
Street NW to its intersection with the southwestern right-of-
way of Virginia Avenue NW;
(45) thence southeast along said southwestern right-of-way
of Virginia Avenue NW to its intersection with the northern
right-of-way of Constitution Avenue NW;
(46) thence east along said northern right-of-way of
Constitution Avenue NW to its intersection with the eastern
right-of-way of 17th Street NW;
(47) thence north along said eastern right-of-way of 17th
Street NW to its intersection with the southern right-of-way of
H Street NW;
(48) thence east along said southern right-of-way of H
Street NW to its intersection with the northwest corner of the
property designated as Square 221 Lot 35;
(49) thence counter-clockwise around the boundary of said
property designated as Square 221 Lot 35 to its southeast
corner, which is along the boundary of the property designated
as Square 221 Lot 37;
(50) thence counter-clockwise around the boundary of said
property designated as Square 221 Lot 37 to its southwest
corner, which it shares with the property designated as Square
221 Lot 818;
(51) thence south along the boundary of said property
designated as Square 221 Lot 818 to its southwest corner, which
it shares with the property designated as Square 221 Lot 40;
(52) thence south along the boundary of said property
designated as Square 221 Lot 40 to its southwest corner;
(53) thence east along the southern border of said property
designated as Square 221 Lot 40 to its intersection with the
northwest corner of the property designated as Square 221 Lot
820;
(54) thence south along the western boundary of said
property designated as Square 221 Lot 820 to its southwest
corner, which it shares with the property designated as Square
221 Lot 39;
(55) thence south along the western boundary of said
property designated as Square 221 Lot 39 to its southwest
corner, which is along the northern right-of-way of
Pennsylvania Avenue NW;
(56) thence east along said northern right-of-way of
Pennsylvania Avenue NW to its intersection with the western
right-of-way of 15th Street NW;
(57) thence south along said western right-of-way of 15th
Street NW to its intersection with a line extending northwest
from the southern right-of-way of the portion of Pennsylvania
Avenue NW north of Pershing Square;
(58) thence southeast along said line extending the
southern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue NW to the southern
right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue NW, and continuing
southeast along said southern right-of-way of Pennsylvania
Avenue NW to its intersection with the western right-of-way of
14th Street NW;
(59) thence south along said western right-of-way of 14th
Street NW to its intersection with a line extending west from
the southern right-of-way of D Street NW;
(60) thence east along said line extending west from the
southern right-of-way of D Street NW to the southern right-of-
way of D Street NW, and continuing east along said southern
right-of-way of D Street NW to its intersection with the
eastern right-of-way of 13\1/2\ Street NW;
(61) thence north along said eastern right-of-way of 13\1/
2\ Street NW to its intersection with the southern right-of-way
of Pennsylvania Avenue NW;
(62) thence east and southeast along said southern right-
of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue NW to its intersection with the
western right-of-way of 12th Street NW;
(63) thence south along said western right-of-way of 12th
Street NW to its intersection with a line extending to the west
the southern boundary of the property designated as Square 324
Lot 809;
(64) thence east along said line to the southwest corner of
said property designated as Square 324 Lot 809, and continuing
northeast along the southern boundary of said property
designated as Square 324 Lot 809 to its eastern corner, which
it shares with the property designated as Square 323 Lot 802;
(65) thence east along the southern boundary of said
proper