Washington, D.C. Admission Act

Summary

Admits the District of Columbia as a new State called the Douglass Commonwealth (State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth), gives it full congressional representation (two Senators and initially one Representative), and sets rules and timelines for the first elections and certification of those results. It keeps the size of the House at 436 for the Congress in which admission occurs, adjusts apportionment language for future censuses, and preserves federal ownership and control of certain defense and Coast Guard properties while allowing the State to treat them as part of the State for many purposes. The Act preserves existing federal retirement and civil service benefits for current beneficiaries and continues federal and District obligations as described; creates an 18-member Statehood Transition Commission to manage the change; updates some federal residency rules for judges and officers; and includes implementation details, severability rules, and deadlines for proclamations and certifications needed to trigger admission and initial state elections.

• Admits the District of Columbia as a new State called the Douglass Commonwealth and gives it full representation in Congress (two Senators; initially one Representative).
• Sets procedures and tight timelines for initial elections and certifications; adjusts the House size to remain 436 for the admitting Congress.
• Reserves exclusive federal legislative authority over U.S.-owned defense/Coast Guard tracts inside the new State while allowing certain concurrent state actions and process service.
• Continues federal retirement and civil service benefits for current beneficiaries and preserves federal and District obligations through and after admission.
• Creates an 18-member Statehood Transition Commission to manage implementation, with staff, hiring authority, reporting duties, and a two-year termination.
• Amends various federal residency and court-officer rules to remove or replace District-specific references and set new residency exceptions for some offices.
• Requires the new State constitution to be republican in form and not repugnant to the U.S. Constitution or Declaration of Independence.
• Includes severability language preserving specific interdependencies among admission provisions and clarifies which statutory changes apply at what timing (including post-census apportionment).