Sponsors (4)
The bill transfers parts of Arlington and Alexandria into D.C., giving those residents D.C. representation and preserving property rights while imposing potential new taxes, revenue losses for Virginia governments, and administrative disruption during the transition.
Residents of Arlington County and the City of Alexandria would gain D.C. representation and be governed by D.C. local laws from the effective date, changing their political representation and legal regime.
Property owners in the transferred areas retain their existing property rights, titles, and interests so ownership and property claims remain undisturbed by the transfer.
People involved in pending Virginia cases arising in the territory can finish litigation in Virginia courts, avoiding immediate disruption of ongoing legal proceedings.
Residents and businesses in the transferred area could face new taxes, regulations, and service changes under D.C. law instead of Virginia law, altering costs and daily operations for households and firms.
Virginia state and local governments would lose tax revenue and jurisdiction over land and services in the transferred area, reducing local revenues and administrative scope.
The transition could create administrative costs and uncertainty for residents, schools, emergency services, and infrastructure management during and after the transfer, disrupting local services and planning.
Based on analysis of 3 sections of legislative text.
Repeals the 1846 retrocession and returns Arlington and Alexandria to the District of Columbia, making D.C. law apply while preserving private property and pending cases.
Official title: 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.
Introduced April 22, 2026 by Rich McCormick · Last progress April 22, 2026
Returns the land retroceded to Virginia in 1846 (now Arlington County and the City of Alexandria) to the District of Columbia by repealing the 1846 Act that ceded that territory to Virginia. The bill makes D.C. law apply to the restored territory on its effective date, preserves private property rights, and allows pending Virginia civil and criminal cases originating in the territory to be finished in Virginia courts as if the repeal had not occurred. The effective date is the first day of the first fiscal year beginning after enactment.