Same-Sex Marriage Bill Sure to Pass in D.C.

(Oct. 7) D.C. City Council member David Catania (I-At Large) introduced a bill Tuesday that would allow same-sex marriage in the nation’s capital.  Nine of his Council colleagues co-sponsored the bill, almost guaranteeing the bill will pass. 

"This legislation paves the way for the equal access to civil marriage in the District of Columbia by defining marriage as a legally recognized union of two people, regardless of gender," Catania said as he introduced the bill.

D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty has already said that he would sign the bill into law if passed by the Council.

Although the bill is sure to pass the D.C. city council, it is not clear if it will become law. 

D.C. is a district, not a state, and any legislation passed by the council must go to Congress for a required review of 30 legislative days.  Yet, even proponents to the bill in Congress see the passing of the bill into law as inevitable.

U.S. Rep. Jason Chaffetz, a Republican from Utah who said he would work to defeat the new bill, anticipates that it will pass like the same-sex marriage recognition bill, allowing D.C. to recognize same-sex marriages in other states, did in January.

Public hearing will begin at the end of October and the bill is expected to pass sometime before Christmas.

The three Council members who did not join the majority as co-introducers were Harry Thomas Jr. (D-Ward 5), Yvette Alexander (D-Ward 7) and Marion Barry (D-Ward 8). 

Barry was a strong supporter of gay rights during his terms as Mayor in the 1980s.  Barry now is the sole opponent of same-sex marriage citing his stance on religious grounds.

Alexander and Thomas voted for the same-sex marriage recognition bill in January.  Supporters of the bill familiar with wards 5 and 7 say the two council members are facing pressure from ministers and members of their constituents to vote against the bill.

The three council members represent the three wards with the highest concentration of African-Americans and the highest rates of poverty in the District.

If passed into law, D.C. would join Massachusetts, Connecticut, Vermont, Iowa and New Hampshire in allowing same-sex marriage. Maine's legislature also has approved a same-sex marriage bill, but opponents succeeded in bringing the measure before voters through a referendum in November.