the District of Columbia (D.C.) City Council voted 11 to 2 in favor
of a marriage equality bill with Mayor Fenty’s full support.
Mayor Fenty has been a strong supporter of marriage equality and
has pledged to sign the bill as soon as it reaches his
desk.
Statement of Jennifer
Chrisler, Executive Director, Family
Equality Council:
“It is past time that our
nation’s capital shows full support to the nearly 4,000 LGBT
couples. Through its inclusive domestic partnership law, D.C. has
been a longtime leader in recognizing that ALL families deserve the security
and protection afforded by the benefits of marriage. Recently, the
District began recognizing marriages of same-sex couples performed
in other jurisdictions. Today’s action brings the District one
critical step forward toward recognizing marriages of same-sex
couples performed in D.C.”
While this is a great victory
for D.C. families, marriage equality in the District still has a
few hurdles to overcome. Once Mayor Fenty signs the bill, the
United States Congress will have thirty legislative days to
intervene and prevent the District from recognizing these marriages
performed in the District of Columbia.
While Congress is not
expected to intervene and stop the legislation from becoming law,
marriage equality advocates are currently working to fend off
attempts to force a 2010 ballot initiative banning marriage
equality in the District.
Family Equality Council is
the leading national LGBT family advocacy organization and is proud
to partner with the Campaign for All DC Families to secure marriage
equality in the District of Columbia.
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