DC Recognizes Marriages in Other Jurisdictions

I was so excited to see the DC City Council's actions today approving legislation that firmly recognizes and protects marriage for ALL DC families. This is an important step in ensuring that all DC residents will someday be afforded the protection of marriage.

The City Council voted 12-1 to approve the measure, which now goes to DC Mayor Adrian Fenty for his signature. The Mayor has indicated he will sign the legislation, which must go through a 30-day congressional review period before it fully takes effect. The Mayor has had the ability to recognize marriages from other jurisdictions since the Council passed legislation authorizing him to do so, but he declined to, hence the Council's action today.

You will remember that in February, the Dupont Circle ANC became the first in the city this year to adopt a resolution to encourage extending marriage rights to all DC residents, regardless of sexual orientation. Commissioner Will Stephens offered the resolution, which I slightly modified, before we passed the resolution unanimously.

I'm currently working with other ANCs throughout the city, including in wards 1, 2, 3 and 6, to pass similar resolutions. If you can help with this endeavor, please email me at jack@friendsofjack.com!! We need all of the help and support we can get, and any suggested contacts would be greatly appreciated.

I'm also working with Q Street (a group of LGBT lobbyists and public policy advocates), where I serve as Treasurer/Secretary, to engage Congress in an effective manner to help stave off any actions that may deny protection to DC families. We're having a speakers' luncheon next month on the subject with a Member of Congress and DC City Councilperson to help firm up a strategy to succeed in Congressional battles, which will undoubtely be coming.