Full Breakdown
Make DC Square Again Act: GOP Bill to Re-Annex Arlington and Alexandria
4/25/2026, 5:12:18 AM
Legislative Push and Historical Context
On April 23 2026 Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA), joined by Rep. Buddy Carter (R-GA), introduced the “Make DC Square Again Act,” legislation that would reverse the 1846 retrocession of Arlington County and the City of Alexandria to Virginia and restore the District of Columbia’s original ten-mile-square boundary. The retrocession, approved by Congress in 1846, transferred roughly 31 square miles of the capital to Virginia; critics argue the Constitution’s enclave clause gives Congress exclusive authority over a district “not exceeding ten miles square,” making the original cession potentially unconstitutional.
Core Data and Electoral Impact
Arlington (?26 sq mi) and Alexandria (?15.75 sq mi) together cover about 41.75 sq mi; adding them would enlarge D.C. from roughly 68 sq mi to about 110 sq mi, exceeding the Constitution’s 100-sq-mi ceiling. The two jurisdictions house roughly 400,000 residents, who voted overwhelmingly Democratic in the 2024 presidential election (Kamala Harris 77%). McCormick estimates they contribute about 250,000 “DC votes” to Virginia’s statewide totals, a factor that would be removed if the areas were re-annexed, diluting the Democratic advantage secured by Virginia’s recent redistricting referendum, which projects a 10-of-11 House seat split for Democrats.
Official Statements and Opposition
McCormick describes the bill as correcting an “unconstitutional error” and eliminating the “artificial advantage” Democrats gained from recent redistricting. Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA) condemns it as “an embarrassing legislative tantrum” and unconstitutional. Alicia Yass of the ACLU of D.C. argues the district’s residents lack full democratic participation. Historian George Derek Musgrove calls the measure a “Virginia voter suppression” effort. Former Trump Justice Department chief of staff Chad R. Mizelle urges a presidential executive order to void the 1846 retrocession, while the American Capital Project advocates a similar executive-order path but provides no public leadership details.
Conflicting Legal Views
Legal scholars dispute whether Congress can reverse retrocession under the enclave clause, and some argue the enlarged district would breach the constitutional 100-square-mile limit. The bill’s full text has not been released, and the American Capital Project’s leadership and funding remain undisclosed, leaving key gaps in the proposal’s transparency.
Verbatim Quotes
- “The Make DC Square Again Act restores the original ten-mile-square District and ends the artificial advantage Virginia Democrats have recently gained from all the federal bureaucrats moving into Virginia.” — Rep. Rich McCormick, R-GA
- “The Constitution never authorized Congress to carve pieces out of the federal District and hand them back to a state,” — Rep. Rich McCormick, R-GA
- “Rich McCormick’s bill is an embarrassing legislative tantrum,” — Rep. Don Beyer, D-VA
- “The residents of the District are not fully participating in the democracy of this country because we are not allowed to,” — Alicia Yass, Advocacy Director, ACLU of D.C.
Outlook
The act faces low likelihood in a narrowly divided Congress and will likely encounter constitutional challenges; supporters are exploring a presidential executive order, while opponents prepare legal opposition.
