Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) introduced the Make DC Square Again Act on Apr. 23, aiming to reverse the 1846 retrocession that returned Arlington County and the City of Alexandria from the District of Columbia to Virginia. The legislation seeks to reestablish Washington, D.C.’s original boundaries as defined by the Residence Act of 1790.
The proposed bill is significant because it addresses longstanding debates over congressional authority and voting representation in federal elections. The Constitution’s Enclave Clause gives Congress exclusive legislative power over a federal district “not exceeding ten miles square,” but does not mention returning land back to states.
McCormick said, “The Constitution never authorized Congress to carve pieces out of the federal District and hand them back to a state.” He also said, “Democrats have spent years manipulating maps and boundaries to rig elections. 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.”
According to information in the bill, Congress unconstitutionally ceded Alexandria County—now Arlington County and Alexandria City—to Virginia in 1846. Legislation was introduced by Senator Benjamin Wade in 1866 seeking repeal; McCormick’s bill aims to address what he describes as an ongoing constitutional error.
Recent political changes in Virginia are part of this context. A redistricting referendum has resulted in a new map that could favor Democratic candidates in most congressional districts—a shift attributed partly to votes from residents of Arlington and Alexandria who were once part of D.C., according to supporters of McCormick’s proposal.
McCormick currently represents Georgia’s 6th district after defeating Bob Christian with nearly two-thirds support in the general election according to Ballotpedia. He succeeded Lucy McBath as representative for Georgia’s 6th district beginning in 2023 as noted by Congress.gov. Biographical records show that McCormick was born in Las Vegas, Nevada, is now age 54, lives in Suwanee according to House.gov, and holds degrees from Oregon State University (1990) and National University (2010) as reported by Ballotpedia.
Supporters say restoring D.C.’s historical shape would align with what they describe as constitutional intent while affecting political representation patterns for both Washington D.C. and Virginia.
