Summary

Returns almost all of the land Maryland originally ceded to create Washington, D.C. back to the State of Maryland (retrocession) once Maryland enacts a law accepting the land and the President issues a proclamation. The bill preserves a much smaller area as the permanent Federal District under exclusive federal control, specifies which properties remain federal, updates which laws apply where, keeps many federal benefits and program rules in force for people who move from federal to state jurisdiction, and ties the effective date to either the Presidential proclamation or the repeal of the Twenty‑third Amendment, whichever happens later.

Key Points

• Most of the land ceded by Maryland to create Washington, D.C. would be returned to Maryland if Maryland accepts and the President issues a proclamation.
• A smaller Federal District remains under exclusive federal control as the permanent seat of government; the bill lists federal properties that stay federal.
• Existing court cases, contracts, permits, and administrative actions are preserved and transitioned so legal rights continue through the jurisdictional change.
• Federal retirement, civil service benefits, scholarship and student-aid rules, and other program treatments are preserved for affected people and employees.
• Voting and residency rules are adjusted so affected residents have a clear path for federal election participation; the effective date is tied to a Presidential proclamation or repeal of the 23rd Amendment.
• The bill ends the District’s municipal-corporation status and specifies which state laws will apply in the retroceded territory and the smaller Federal District.
• Federal authority over military lands and other designated federal properties is explicitly reserved and not subject to state control.
• Names and administrative details for federal courts and certain residency-based federal offices are updated to reflect the new territorial arrangement.
• Implementation depends on Maryland’s acceptance and Presidential action; some changes are further conditioned on constitutional amendment action regarding the 23rd Amendment.
• The Act focuses on legal continuity and preserves many federal legal and administrative arrangements to reduce disruption from the jurisdictional transfer.

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