As America approaches its 250th anniversary, we have an opportunity to revisit a long-unsettled constitutional question that affects representation, federal structure, and the balance of power.

In 1790, Maryland and Virginia permanently ceded land to create the District of Columbia as the independent seat of government. That land was intended to remain separate from state control to preserve federal neutrality and structural balance.

In 1847, the portion of the District that is now Arlington County was retroceded to Virginia. The Supreme Court has never directly ruled on the constitutionality of that retrocession. Yet Arlington today houses numerous federal agencies and tens of thousands of federal employees who work at the heart of the national government while residing in a state that participates fully in congressional representation and Electoral College votes.

At the same time, Virginia lawmakers have proposed congressional maps that could significantly reshape representation in the U.S. House. In a state where presidential elections have been competitive in recent cycles, proposed maps could result in a congressional delegation heavily tilted toward one party. Redistricting is a state power, but it underscores how political influence is affected by geographic boundaries and population concentrations tied to federal employment hubs.

The Founders created the federal district precisely to avoid structural distortions where one state might gain outsized influence by hosting the machinery of the national government. The contract language used in the original cession described the land as given “forever” for the permanent seat of government.

We call on the President of the United States to direct the Department of Justice to conduct a formal constitutional review of the 1847 retrocession and explore lawful mechanisms to restore Washington, D.C. to its originally intended boundaries.

This is not about partisanship. It is about constitutional integrity, federal balance, and ensuring that the structure of our government reflects the intent of those who designed it.

If restoration is constitutionally justified, Congress should act accordingly. If it is not, the American people deserve clarity after nearly 180 years of ambiguity.

As we celebrate 250 years of the Republic, let us reaffirm our commitment to constitutional order and balanced governance.

Sign this petition to demand a full constitutional review of Arlington’s retrocession and protect the structural integrity of the federal system.