GOP congressman wants to add Arlington and Alexandria back to DC

Published April 23, 2026 8:43am ET | Updated April 23, 2026 1:22pm ET



Rep. Rich McCormick (R-GA) introduced legislation on Wednesday to reincorporate Arlington and Alexandria, two independent jurisdictions in Northern Virginia, into the District of Columbia, hearkening back to a time when the federal district extended west into the neighboring state.

The aptly titled Make DC Square Again Act would reverse an 1846 congressional action, known as retrocession, that ultimately ceded Arlington County and the City of Alexandria to Virginia a year later. At the time, the two areas were collectively known as Alexandria County.

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