Story perspectives

GOP Bill Seeks 60% DC Expansion, Faces Constitutional Hurdles

4/25/2026

Summary

Story summary

Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) introduced the Make DC Square Again Act on April 23, 2026, to reverse the 1846 retrocession and add 42 sq mi, expanding D.C. by about 60%.
Democratic officials, including Rep. Don Beyer and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, called the bill unconstitutional and a disenfranchisement of Virginia residents.
Legal analysts say reversal needs consent from Congress and the Virginia General Assembly, making passage unlikely under Democratic state control.

History

Historical Context

Congress and President James K. Polk approved the 1846 retrocession that returned Alexandria County’s 31 sq mi and roughly 7,000 residents to Virginia. Persistent complaints over disenfranchisement and local taxes spurred the move, a pattern echoed in later proposals such as President Taft’s 1909 expansion plan. Rep. Rich McCormick’s 2026 Make DC Square Again Act now seeks to add 42 sq mi, reviving the historic debate.

1 of 2

Story summary

Rep. Rich McCormick (R-Ga.) introduced the Make DC Square Again Act on April 23, 2026, to reverse the 1846 retrocession and add 42 sq mi, expanding D.C. by about 60%.
Democratic officials, including Rep. Don Beyer and Delegate Eleanor Holmes Norton, called the bill unconstitutional and a disenfranchisement of Virginia residents.
Legal analysts say reversal needs consent from Congress and the Virginia General Assembly, making passage unlikely under Democratic state control.

1 / 2