# Plain Language Summary: Compact Federal District Act

This bill proposes to give most of Washington, D.C. back to Maryland while keeping a small federal zone around the nation's capital buildings under direct federal control. Here's what that means in practical terms.

Right now, the entire District of Columbia is a federal territory that Congress controls directly. This bill would change that by returning the vast majority of D.C. to Maryland's authority—essentially making it part of Maryland again. However, the bill carves out a smaller "Federal District" that would remain under federal control. This Federal District would include the White House, the Capitol Building, the Supreme Court, and the major federal office buildings and monuments around the National Mall. The exact boundaries are spelled out in detailed street-by-street descriptions, creating essentially a federal zone in the heart of the city while everything else becomes Maryland territory.

For people living in D.C., this would be a major change. Those living outside the Federal District would become Maryland residents subject to Maryland state laws and taxes instead of D.C. laws. They would gain representation in the Maryland state legislature and could vote in Maryland elections. However, the bill includes special voting rules allowing people in the Federal District to vote in federal elections based on their most recent home state rather than where they currently live. The bill also eliminates D.C.'s current delegate to Congress and removes D.C.'s electoral votes in presidential elections. Federal employees and judges working in D.C. would have various transition protections to maintain their benefits and retirement programs during this shift.

The bill addresses many technical details about how federal property, courts, and various federal programs would operate under this new arrangement. It essentially tries to create a workable system where a small federal capital zone remains under Congress's direct control while the surrounding city becomes part of Maryland. However, this would require Maryland to pass its own law accepting the retrocession before any of this could happen.

Compact Federal District Act

Griffith, H. Morgan

Compact Federal District Act This bill cedes certain portions of the District of Columbia to Maryland while retaining particular portions of the District (the Federal District) under the exclusive legislative authority and control of Congress to serve as the permanent seat of the federal government. Maryland must accept this retrocession for it to take effect. The Federal District shall consist of a designated geographic area and specified properties including, the principal federal monuments; the White House; the U.S. Capitol; the U.S. Supreme Court Building; the federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the U.S. Capitol; and the Frances Perkins Building, including any portion of it north of D Street NW. The bill also maintains the federal government's authority over military lands and specified other property. In addition, the bill (1) applies current Maryland criminal laws and laws that regulate Maryland vehicular traffic to the Federal District, (2) continues pending judicial proceedings, and (3) repeals requirements providing for participation of the seat of the federal government in elections of the President and Vice President. The bill also temporarily continues certain federal authorities and responsibilities that pertain to the District of Columbia, including regarding employee benefits, agencies, courts, and college tuition assistance.