H.R. 8455 — Make DC Square Again Act

This section states congressional findings concerning the Enclave Clause (U.S. Constitution Art. I, §8, cl. 17), which authorizes federal exclusive legislation over the seat of government (not exceeding 10 miles square) but not retrocession to states; the 1790 acceptance of territory from Maryland and Virginia to form the District of Columbia; the unconstitutional 1846 retrocession of D.C. land south of the Potomac River to Virginia; and Senator Benjamin Wade's April 23, 1866, introduction of S. 280 (39th Congress, 1st Session) to repeal that act.

This section repeals the Act of July 9, 1846, which retroceded the County of Alexandria from the District of Columbia to Virginia, and restores the retroceded territory—now comprising Arlington County and the independent City of Alexandria, Virginia—to the District of Columbia. Effective on the first day of the first fiscal year after enactment, District of Columbia laws apply to the restored territory and Virginia laws cease to apply, except that all property rights and titles held on the date of enactment remain undisturbed and any pending civil or criminal proceedings in Virginia courts arising in the territory may be concluded as if the Act had not been enacted.