District of Columbia City Councilmember David
Cantania, one of two openly gay council members, is set to
introduce the long-awaited marriage equality bill today. While the
District of Columbia already recognizes same sex marriages legally
performed elsewhere, this bill redefines marriage in D.C. as “the
legally recognized union of two people.”
Jennifer Chrisler, Executive
Director of Family Equality Council states, “This is a great
step in the right direction for LGBT families. All families deserve
the benefits of marriage equality.”
This piece is cross-posted at gaypolitics.com
October 6, 2009
Report: Congress won’t block D.C. marriage
equality
A marriage equality bill set to be introduced today by openly gay
District of Columbia City Councilmember David Catania will not be
blocked in the U.S. Congress, according to a report in today’s
Washington Post:
In an interview, Del. Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-D.C.)
said she had received assurances from House Democratic leaders that
she doesn’t need to worry about congressional
intervention.
“The House and Senate have their plates really
full,” Norton said. “I don’t think this is anything that is
going to somehow scramble over into that.”Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Utah), who tried to derail a bill passed by
the council this year recognizing same-sex marriages performed
elsewhere, also expressed doubts that he or other Republicans could
be major obstacles.“Given the gravity of health care and other tumultuous debate, it
hasn’t got much attention,” said Chaffetz, the ranking member
of the House subcommittee that oversees the District. “You couple
that with the Democrats’ stranglehold on the rules, and the
minority is left somewhat impotent.”
D.C. is a federal district rather than a state. Congress generally
has 30 days to review laws passed by the D.C. council, and even
though the District’s nearly 600,000 residents pay federal taxes,
they have no voting representation in either the House or the
Senate.