Vote Smart's Synopsis:

Vote to pass a bill that authorizes the admission of Washington, District of Columbia into the United States as a state.

Highlights:

• Establishes the state of Washington, Douglas Commonwealth as a state of the United States of America following the issuance of the necessary proclamation (Sec. 101).

• Requires the state constitution of the state of Washington, Douglas Commonwealth to be republican in form (Sec. 101).

• Requires the mayor, no more than 30 days after receiving certification of the enactment of this act from the President, to issue a proclamation for the first elections for two Senators and one Representative in Congress from the State (Sec. 102).

• Specifies that the territory of the area known as the “Capital”, which will serve as the seat of the Government of the United States, will not be included in the territory of the State (Sec. 111).

• Defines the “Capital” as consisting of the principal Federal monuments, the White House, the Capitol Building, the United States Supreme Court Building, and the Federal executive, legislative, and judicial office buildings located adjacent to the Mall and the Capitol Building (Sec. 112).

• Specifies that the laws of the District of Columbia in effect currently will apply in the Capital in the same manner and to the same extent beginning on the date of the admission of the State into the Union (Sec. 114).

• Prohibits the Capital, following the date of admission of the State into the Union, from serving as a government and from being a body corporate for municipal purposes (Sec. 116).

• Specifies that members of executive, legislative, and judicial offices of the District of Columbia will be deemed members of the respective executive, legislative, and judicial offices of the State upon the admission of the State into the Union (Sec. 121).

• Requires each state to authorize absent Capital voters to use absentee registration procedures and to vote by absentee ballot in general, special, primary, and runoff elections for Federal office (Sec. 221).

• Repeals the office of the District of Columbia Delegate (Sec. 222).

• Establishes the Statehood Transition Commission to advise on an orderly transition to statehood for the District of Columbia or the State, and to a reduced geographical size of the seat of the Government of the United States, including with respect to the property, funding, programs, projects, and activities (Sec. 402).

Full Bill Text

Full Bill Text