{"format":1,"id":"117-hr-51","congress":117,"number":"H.R. 51","kind":"bill","group":"bills","title":"Washington, D.C. Admission Act","title_source":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","official_title":"To provide for the admission of the State of Washington, D.C. into the Union.","titles":[{"type":"Official Title as Introduced","title":"To provide for the admission of the State of Washington, D.C. into the Union."},{"type":"Display Title","title":"Washington, D.C. Admission Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Reported to House","title":"Washington, D.C. Admission Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Passed House","title":"Washington, D.C. Admission Act"},{"type":"Short Title(s) as Introduced","title":"Washington, D.C. Admission Act"}],"outcome":"passed_house","law_number":null,"introduced":"2021-01-04","chambers":{"house":{"status":"roll_call","date":"2021-04-22","vote":{"id":"117-2021-h132","question":"On Passage","title":"Washington, D.C. Admission Act","result":"Passed","yea":216,"nay":208,"present":0,"not_voting":6,"source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll132.xml"}},"senate":{"status":"na","date":null,"vote":null}},"president":{"status":"na","date":null},"vice_president_tie_breaker":null,"latest_action":{"text":"Received in the Senate.","date":"2021-04-22"},"nominees":null,"amendments":[],"other_votes":[{"chamber":"house","date":"2021-04-22","question":"On Motion to Recommit","title":"Washington, D.C. Admission Act","result":"Failed","yea":205,"nay":215,"present":0,"not_voting":9,"kind":"procedural","source":"https://clerk.house.gov/evs/2021/roll131.xml"}],"crs_summary":{"date":"2021-04-22","stage":"Passed House","blocks":[{"k":"h","t":"Washington, D.C. Admission Act"},{"k":"p","t":"This bill provides for admission into the United States of the state of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, composed of most of the territory of the District of Columbia. The commonwealth shall be admitted to the Union on an equal footing with the other states."},{"k":"p","t":"The Mayor of the District of Columbia shall issue a proclamation for the first elections to Congress of two Senators and one Representative of the commonwealth."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill applies current District laws to the commonwealth and continues pending judicial proceedings."},{"k":"p","t":"The commonwealth (1) shall consist of all District territory, with specified exclusions for federal buildings and monuments, including the principal federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the U.S. Supreme Court Building, and the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol Building; and (2) may not impose taxes on federal property except as Congress permits."},{"k":"p","t":"District territory excluded from the commonwealth shall be known as the Capital and shall be the seat of the federal government. The bill maintains the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill provides for expedited consideration of a joint resolution repealing the Twenty-third Amendment to the Constitution, which provides for the appointment of electors of the President and Vice President."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill continues certain federal authorities and responsibilities, including regarding employee benefits, agencies, courts, and college tuition assistance, until the commonwealth certifies that it is prepared to take over the authorities and responsibilities."},{"k":"p","t":"The bill establishes the Statehood Transition Commission to advise the President, Congress, and District and commonwealth leaders on the transition."}],"words":269},"summary":{"main_subject":{"text":"Provides for the admission of the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth into the Union, made up of the territory of the District of Columbia except a smaller area that remains the seat of the federal government, and sets transition rules for that change.","cites":[{"label":"Sec. 101","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-H76135B220B6F4BAFBE96CA75F0D94C8C"},{"label":"Sec. 111","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-H00BB421278724E0CAF71D7693D12898D"}]},"core_areas":["Admission of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth as a State","Boundaries of the State and the Capital as the seat of the federal government","First elections and House membership for the State","Continued federal roles in courts, prosecution, and retirement benefits","Expedited procedures for a joint resolution to repeal the 23rd Amendment","Statehood Transition Commission"],"what_it_does":[{"text":"Declares the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth admitted into the Union on an equal footing with the other States, upon issuance of the proclamation required by section 103(a).","cite":{"label":"Sec. 101","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-H76135B220B6F4BAFBE96CA75F0D94C8C"}},{"text":"Requires the Mayor to issue a proclamation, not more than 30 days after receiving the President's certification, for the first elections of 2 Senators and one Representative in Congress from the State.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 102","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-HB3984ADF6C2B4467B662585BB4DA31E9"}},{"text":"Sets the House of Representatives at 436 Members, including any Members representing the State, beginning with the Congress during which the State is admitted.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 102","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-HB3984ADF6C2B4467B662585BB4DA31E9"}},{"text":"Makes the State consist of the territory of the District of Columbia, excluding the area described in section 112, which is known as the \"Capital\" and serves as the seat of the Government of the United States.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 111","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-H00BB421278724E0CAF71D7693D12898D"}},{"text":"Bars the State from taxing real or personal property owned or acquired by the United States, except to the extent that Congress permits.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 123","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-H37C21C712A4A4A839F7E9E56E404570D"}},{"text":"Sets expedited procedures in the House and Senate for a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment to repeal the 23rd article of amendment.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 224","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-HF2D60DA02CC4445D8D6AEDECEC468134"}},{"text":"Amends title 28, United States Code, to replace references to the District of Columbia with \"Capital\" for the Court of Appeals and with \"Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and the Capital\" for the District Court, effective upon admission.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 212","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-HADA310051A974DD88CEE8C983A62C1AF"}},{"text":"Continues entitlement to Federal benefit payments under the District of Columbia Retirement Protection Act of 1997 for individuals entitled to them the day before admission.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 301","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-HB54C1E8456B141419658CA8DF972F4B7"}},{"text":"Requires the Attorney General to provide for the assignment of assistant United States attorneys to conduct criminal prosecutions in the State's name until the State certifies that it has appointed its own attorneys.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 312","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-HBE3D4973AF08417DA0CD6B27B5179F15"}},{"text":"Establishes the Statehood Transition Commission, with 18 members, to advise the President, Congress, and local leaders on the transition, and ends it 2 years after the State's admission.","cite":{"label":"Sec. 402","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-H37F91D0F55EF4B6CBD7F32A5F0695C11"}}],"unexpected":[{"category":"off_subject","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 115","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-H4D49044A02744B279221A1B4FACC0A39"},"heading":"Capital National Guard","effect":"Amends titles 32 and 10 of the United States Code to replace \"District of Columbia\" with \"Capital\" in National Guard provisions and to refer to a \"Capital National Guard\" commanded by a commanding general.","amount":null,"quote":"Title 32, United States Code, is amended as follows:"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 201","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-HBC3E4D237868480DAEE16A85CA6452DA"},"heading":"Treatment of military lands","effect":"Reserves to Congress the power of exclusive legislation over land in the State that is controlled or owned by the United States and held for defense or Coast Guard purposes, a subset of land in the State.","amount":null,"quote":"authority is reserved in the United States for the exercise by Congress of the power of exclusive legislation in all cases whatsoever"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 321","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-H8D9B2C594B924E9BAE842A3341458C8B"},"heading":"Application of the College Access Act","effect":"Continues the District of Columbia College Access Act (tuition assistance) for the State and for the public institution of higher education the State designates as successor to the University of the District of Columbia.","amount":null,"quote":"shall apply with respect to the State, and to the public institution of higher education designated by the State as the successor to the University of the District of Columbia"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 322","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-HC0C0CAFC2C924CA5AA39AC14BCE35E4F"},"heading":"Application of the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act","effect":"Continues the Scholarships for Opportunity and Results Act (tuition assistance and school funds) for the State until the State certifies it has similar laws in effect.","amount":null,"quote":"shall apply with respect to the State after the date of the admission of the State into the Union"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 323","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-H13A7C508419D4FAEA47207D305EB1279"},"heading":"Medicaid Federal medical assistance percentage","effect":"Sets the State's Medicaid Federal medical assistance percentage at the District of Columbia's percentage as of the day before admission, notwithstanding the general statutory formula, until the end of the fiscal year in which the State submits a certification.","amount":null,"quote":"the Federal medical assistance percentage for the State under title XIX of such Act shall be the Federal medical assistance percentage for the District of Columbia under such title"},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 324","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-HB5DAC5D86504461488FA2CC113C21068"},"heading":"Federal planning commissions","effect":"Amends laws on the National Capital Planning Commission, Commission of Fine Arts, and Commemorative Works Act, including changing the Planning Commission's citizen members to four with set residency by state.","amount":null,"quote":"Of the four citizen members, one shall be a resident of Virginia, one shall be a resident of Maryland, and one shall be a resident of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth."},{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 325","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-H7811970C4BB54422AB6390EAB956A8F8"},"heading":"Role of Army Corps of Engineers in supplying water","effect":"Adds a section to chapter 95 of title 40, United States Code (Army Corps of Engineers water supply), so that references to the District of Columbia mean the Capital or the State, as the case may be.","amount":null,"quote":"any reference in this chapter to the District of Columbia shall be deemed to refer to the Capital or the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth, as the case may be"}]},{"category":"political_name","items":[{"cite":{"label":"Sec. 101","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh#toc-H76135B220B6F4BAFBE96CA75F0D94C8C"},"heading":"Admission into the Union","effect":"Declares the State admitted into the Union under the name \"Washington, Douglass Commonwealth\"; the name includes a personal name.","amount":null,"quote":"the State of Washington, Douglass Commonwealth is declared to be a State of the United States of America"}]}],"version":{"type":"Engrossed in House","date":"2021-04-22","rule":"passed","href":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text/eh"},"current":true,"model":"claude-sonnet-5-5","approved":"2026-10-15","approved_by":"checks"},"sources":{"congress_gov":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51","text":"https://www.congress.gov/bill/117th-congress/house-bill/51/text"},"card":{"image":"card/item/117-hr-51.png","v":"f2603688aeb4","alt":"Votes on Record. H.R. 51, 117th Congress: Washington, D.C. Admission Act. House: 216 Yea, 208 Nay. Outcome: Passed House, 22 Apr 2021."}}