H.R. 51 — what changed

In general— Subject to subsection (c), upon the admission of the State into the Union, the Capital shall consist of the property described in subsection (b) and shall include 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 (as such terms are used in section 8501(a) of title 40, United States Code).

General description— Upon the admission of the State into the Union, the boundaries of the Capital shall be as follows: Beginning at the intersection of the southern right-of-way of F Street NE and the eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street NE;

thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street NE to its intersection with the northeastern right-of-way of Maryland Avenue NE;

thence southwest along said northeastern right-of-way of Maryland Avenue NE to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of Constitution Avenue NE;

thence west along said northern right-of-way of Constitution Avenue NE to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of 1st Street NE;

thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 1st Street NE to its intersection with the southeastern right-of-way of Maryland Avenue NE;

thence northeast along said southeastern right-of-way of Maryland Avenue NE to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street SE;

thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street SE to the eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street SE;

thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street SE to its intersection with the northern property boundary of the property designated as Square 760 Lot 803;

thence east along said northern property boundary of Square 760 Lot 803 to its intersection with the western right-of-way of 3rd Street SE;

thence south along said western right-of-way of 3rd Street SE to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of Independence Avenue SE;

thence west along said northern right-of-way of Independence Avenue SE to its intersection with the northwestern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue SE;

thence northwest along said northwestern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue SE to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street SE;

thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street SE to its intersection with the southern right-of-way of C Street SE;

thence west along said southern right-of-way of C Street SE to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of 1st Street SE;

thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 1st Street SE to its intersection with the southern right-of-way of D Street SE;

thence west along said southern right-of-way of D Street SE to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of South Capitol Street;

thence south along said eastern right-of-way of South Capitol Street to its intersection with the northwestern right-of-way of Canal Street SE;

thence southeast along said northwestern right-of-way of Canal Street SE to its intersection with the southern right-of-way of E Street SE;

thence east along said southern right-of-way of said E Street SE to its intersection with the western right-of-way of 1st Street SE;

thence south along said western right-of-way of 1st Street SE to its intersection with the southernmost corner of the property designated as Square 736S Lot 801;

thence west along a line extended due west from said corner of said property designated as Square 736S Lot 801 to its intersection with the southwestern right-of-way of New Jersey Avenue SE;

thence southeast along said southwestern right-of-way of New Jersey Avenue SE to its intersection with the northwestern right-of-way of Virginia Avenue SE;

thence northwest along said northwestern right-of-way of Virginia Avenue SE to its intersection with the western right-of-way of South Capitol Street;

thence north along said western right-of-way of South Capitol Street to its intersection with the southern right-of-way of E Street SW;

thence west along said southern right-of-way of E Street SW to its end;

thence west along a line extending said southern right-of-way of E Street SW westward to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street SW;

thence north along said eastern right-of-way of 2nd Street SW to its intersection with the southwestern right-of-way of Virginia Avenue SW;

thence northwest along said southwestern right-of-way of Virginia Avenue SW to its intersection with the western right-of-way of 3rd Street SW;

thence north along said western right-of-way of 3rd Street SW to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of D Street SW;

thence west along said northern right-of-way of D Street SW to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of 4th Street SW;

thence north along said eastern right-of-way of 4th Street SW to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of C Street SW;

thence west along said northern right-of-way of C Street SW to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of 6th Street SW;

thence north along said eastern right-of-way of 6th Street SW to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of Independence Avenue SW;

thence west along said northern right-of-way of Independence Avenue SW to its intersection with the western right-of-way of 12th Street SW;

thence south along said western right-of-way of 12th Street SW to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of D Street SW;

thence west along said northern right-of-way of D Street SW to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of 14th Street SW;

thence south along said eastern right-of-way of 14th Street SW to its intersection with the northeastern boundary of the Consolidated Rail Corporation railroad easement;

thence southwest along said northeastern boundary of the Consolidated Rail Corporation railroad easement to its intersection with the eastern shore of the Potomac River;

thence generally northwest along said eastern shore of the Potomac River to its intersection with a line extending westward the northern boundary of the property designated as Square 12 Lot 806;

thence east along said line extending westward the northern boundary of the property designated as Square 12 Lot 806 to the northern property boundary of the property designated as Square 12 Lot 806, and continuing east along said northern boundary of said property designated as Square 12 Lot 806 to its northeast corner;

thence east along a line extending east from said northeast corner of the property designated as Square 12 Lot 806 to its intersection with the western boundary of the property designated as Square 33 Lot 87;

thence south along said western boundary of the property designated as Square 33 Lot 87 to its intersection with the northwest corner of the property designated as Square 33 Lot 88;

thence counter-clockwise around the boundary of said property designated as Square 33 Lot 88 to its southeast corner, which is along the northern right-of-way of E Street NW;

thence east along said northern right-of-way of E Street NW to its intersection with the western right-of-way of 18th Street NW;

thence south along said western right-of-way of 18th Street NW to its intersection with the southwestern right-of-way of Virginia Avenue NW;

thence southeast along said southwestern right-of-way of Virginia Avenue NW to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of Constitution Avenue NW;

thence east along said northern right-of-way of Constitution Avenue NW to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of 17th Street NW;

thence north along said eastern right-of-way of 17th Street NW to its intersection with the southern right-of-way of H Street NW;

thence east along said southern right-of-way of H Street NW to its intersection with the northwest corner of the property designated as Square 221 Lot 35;

thence counter-clockwise around the boundary of said property designated as Square 221 Lot 35 to its southeast corner, which is along the boundary of the property designated as Square 221 Lot 37;

thence counter-clockwise around the boundary of said property designated as Square 221 Lot 37 to its southwest corner, which it shares with the property designated as Square 221 Lot 818;

thence south along the boundary of said property designated as Square 221 Lot 818 to its southwest corner, which it shares with the property designated as Square 221 Lot 40;

thence south along the boundary of said property designated as Square 221 Lot 40 to its southwest corner;

thence east along the southern border of said property designated as Square 221 Lot 40 to its intersection with the northwest corner of the property designated as Square 221 Lot 820;

thence south along the western boundary of said property designated as Square 221 Lot 820 to its southwest corner, which it shares with the property designated as Square 221 Lot 39;

thence south along the western boundary of said property designated as Square 221 Lot 39 to its southwest corner, which is along the northern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue NW;

thence east along said northern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue NW to its intersection with the western right-of-way of 15th Street NW;

thence south along said western right-of-way of 15th Street NW to its intersection with a line extending northwest from the southern right-of-way of the portion of Pennsylvania Avenue NW north of Pershing Square;

thence southeast along said line extending the southern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue NW to the southern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue NW, and continuing southeast along said southern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue NW to its intersection with the western right-of-way of 14th Street NW;

thence south along said western right-of-way of 14th Street NW to its intersection with a line extending west from the southern right-of-way of D Street NW;

thence east along said line extending west from the southern right-of-way of D Street NW to the southern right-of-way of D Street NW, and continuing east along said southern right-of-way of D Street NW to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of 13½ Street NW;

thence north along said eastern right-of-way of 13½ Street NW to its intersection with the southern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue NW;

thence east and southeast along said southern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue NW to its intersection with the western right-of-way of 12th Street NW;

thence south along said western right-of-way of 12th Street NW to its intersection with a line extending to the west the southern boundary of the property designated as Square 324 Lot 809;

thence east along said line to the southwest corner of said property designated as Square 324 Lot 809, and continuing northeast along the southern boundary of said property designated as Square 324 Lot 809 to its eastern corner, which it shares with the property designated as Square 323 Lot 802;

thence east along the southern boundary of said property designated as Square 323 Lot 802 to its southeast corner, which it shares with the property designated as Square 324 Lot 808;

thence counter-clockwise around the boundary of said property designated as Square 324 Lot 808 to its northeastern corner, which is along the southern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue NW;

thence southeast along said southern right-of-way of Pennsylvania Avenue NW to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of 4th Street NW;

thence north along a line extending north from said eastern right-of-way of 4th Street NW to its intersection with the southern right-of-way of C Street NW;

thence east along said southern right-of-way of C Street NW to its intersection with the eastern right-of-way of 3rd Street NW;

thence north along said eastern right-of-way of 3rd Street NW to its intersection with the southern right-of-way of D Street NW;

thence east along said southern right-of-way of D Street NW to its intersection with the western right-of-way of 1st Street NW;

thence south along said western right-of-way of 1st Street NW to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of C Street NW;

thence west along said northern right-of-way of C Street NW to its intersection with the western right-of-way of 2nd Street NW;

thence south along said western right-of-way of 2nd Street NW to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of Constitution Avenue NW;

thence east along said northern right-of-way of Constitution Avenue NW to its intersection with the northeastern right-of-way of Louisiana Avenue NW;

thence northeast along said northeastern right-of-way of Louisiana Avenue NW to its intersection with the southwestern right-of-way of New Jersey Avenue NW;

thence northwest along said southwestern right-of-way of New Jersey Avenue NW to its intersection with the northern right-of-way of D Street NW;

thence east along said northern right-of-way of D Street NW to its intersection with the northeastern right-of-way of Louisiana Avenue NW;

thence northeast along said northwestern right-of-way of Louisiana Avenue NW to its intersection with the western right-of-way of North Capitol Street;

thence north along said western right-of-way of North Capitol Street to its intersection with the southwestern right-of-way of Massachusetts Avenue NW;

thence southeast along said southwestern right-of-way of Massachusetts Avenue NW to the southwestern right-of-way of Massachusetts Avenue NE;

thence southeast along said southwestern right-of-way of Massachusetts Avenue NE to the southern right-of-way of Columbus Circle NE;

thence east along said southern right-of-way of F Street NE to the point of beginning.

Exclusion of building serving as State capitol— Notwithstanding any other provision of this section, after the admission of the State into the Union, the Capital shall not be considered to include the building known as the “John A. Wilson Building”, as described and designated under section 601(a) of the Omnibus Spending Reduction Act of 1993 (sec. 10–1301(a), D.C. Official Code).

Clarification of treatment of Frances Perkins Building— The entirety of the Frances Perkins Building, including any portion of the Building which is north of D Street Northwest, shall be included in the Capital.

Circuit Court— Section 41 of title 28, United States Code, is amended—

in the first column, by striking “District of Columbia” and inserting “Capital”; and

in the second column, by striking “District of Columbia” and inserting “Capital; Washington, Douglass Commonwealth”.

District Court— Section 88 of such title is amended—

in the heading, by striking “District of Columbia” and inserting “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and the Capital”;

by amending the first paragraph to read as follows:

in the second paragraph, by striking “Washington” and inserting “the Capital”.

Clerical amendment— The item relating to section 88 in the table of sections for chapter 5 of such title is amended to read as follows:

Conforming amendments relating to Court of Appeals— Title 28, United States Code, is amended as follows:

Appointment of judges— Section 44(a) of such title is amended in the first column by striking “District of Columbia” and inserting “Capital”.

Terms of Court— Section 48(a) of such title is amended—

in the first column, by striking “District of Columbia” and inserting “Capital”;

in the second column, by striking “District of Columbia” and inserting “Capital”.

Appointment of independent counsels by chief judge of circuit— Section 49 of such title is amended by striking “District of Columbia” each place it appears and inserting “Capital”.

Circuit Court jurisdiction over certification of death penalty counsels— Section 2265(c)(2) of such title is amended by striking “the District of Columbia Circuit” and inserting “the Capital Circuit”.

Circuit Court jurisdiction over review of Federal agency orders— Section 2343 of such title is amended by striking “the District of Columbia Circuit” and inserting “the Capital Circuit”.

Conforming amendments relating to District Court— Title 28, United States Code, is amended as follows:

Appointment and number of District Court judges— Section 133(a) of such title is amended in the first column by striking “District of Columbia” and inserting “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and the Capital”.

District Court jurisdiction of tax cases brought against United States— Section 1346(e) of such title is amended by striking “the District of Columbia” and inserting “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and the Capital”.

District Court jurisdiction over proceedings for forfeiture of foreign property— Section 1355(b)(2) of such title is amended by striking “the District of Columbia” and inserting “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and the Capital”.

District Court jurisdiction over civil actions brought against a foreign state— Section 1391(f)(4) of such title is amended by striking “the District of Columbia” and inserting “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and the Capital”.

District Court jurisdiction over actions brought by corporations against United States— Section 1402(a)(2) of such title is amended by striking “the District of Columbia” and inserting “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and the Capital”.

Venue in District Court of certain actions brought by employees of Executive Office of the President— Section 1413 of such title is amended by striking “the District of Columbia” and inserting “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and the Capital”.

Venue in District Court of action enforcing foreign judgment— Section 2467(c)(2)(B) of such title is amended by striking “the District of Columbia” and inserting “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and the Capital”.

Conforming amendments relating to other courts— Title 28, United States Code, is amended as follows:

Appointment of bankruptcy judges— Section 152(a)(2) of such title is amended in the first column by striking “District of Columbia” and inserting “Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and the Capital”.

Location of Court of Federal Claims— Section 173 of such title is amended by striking “the District of Columbia” and inserting “the Capital”.

Duty station of judges of Court of Federal Claims— Section 175 of such title is amended by striking “the District of Columbia” each place it appears and inserting “the Capital”.

Duty station of judges for purposes of traveling expenses— Section 456(b) of such title is amended to read as follows:

Court accommodations for Federal Circuit and Court of Federal Claims— Section 462(d) of such title is amended by striking “the District of Columbia” and inserting “the Capital”.

Places of holding court of Court of Federal Claims— Section 798(a) of such title is amended—

by striking “Washington, District of Columbia” and inserting “the Capital”; and

by striking “the District of Columbia” and inserting “the Capital”.

Service of process on foreign parties at State Department office— Section 1608(a)(4) of such title is amended by striking “Washington, District of Columbia” and inserting “the Capital”.

Service of process in property cases at Attorney General office— Section 2410(b) of such title is amended by striking “Washington, District of Columbia” and inserting “the Capital”.

Definition— Section 451 of title 28, United States Code, is amended by adding at the end the following new undesignated paragraph:

References in other laws— Any reference in any Federal law (other than a law amended by this section), rule, or regulation—

to the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia shall be deemed to refer to the United States Court of Appeals for the Capital;

to the District of Columbia Circuit shall be deemed to refer to the Capital Circuit; and

to the United States District Court for the District of Columbia shall be deemed to refer to the United States District Court for Washington, Douglass Commonwealth and the Capital.

Effective date— This section and the amendments made by this section shall take effect upon the admission of the State into the Union.

In general— Each State shall—

permit absent Capital voters to use absentee registration procedures and to vote by absentee ballot in general, special, primary, and runoff elections for Federal office; and

accept and process, with respect to any general, special, primary, or runoff election for Federal office, any otherwise valid voter registration application from an absent Capital voter, if the application is received by the appropriate State election official not less than 30 days before the election.

Absent Capital voter defined— In this section, the term absent Capital voter means, with respect to a State, a person who resides in the Capital and is qualified to vote in the State (or who would be qualified to vote in the State but for residing in the Capital), but only if the State is the last place in which the person was domiciled before residing in the Capital.

State defined— In this section, the term State means each of the several States, including the State.

waive registration requirements for absent Capital voters who, by reason of residence in the Capital, do not have an opportunity to register;

expedite processing of balloting materials with respect to such individuals; and

assure that absentee ballots are mailed to such individuals at the earliest opportunity.

Enforcement— The Attorney General may bring a civil action in the appropriate district court of the United States for such declaratory or injunctive relief as may be necessary to carry out this section.

Effect on certain other laws— The exercise of any right under this section shall not affect, for purposes of a Federal tax, a State tax, or a local tax, the residence or domicile of a person exercising such right.

Effective date— This section shall take effect upon the date of the admission of the State into the Union, and shall apply with respect to elections for Federal office taking place on or after such date.

In general— Chapter 1 of title 3, United States Code, is amended—

by striking section 21; and

in the table of sections, by striking the item relating to section 21.