Results tagged “hearings”

The fight for D.C. voting rights has always been two-fold. On one front, the city has demanded representation in Congress, while on the other it has fought for greater autonomy in local budgetary and legislative matters. While the struggle for congressional representation often gets more press, tomorrow a hearing on Capitol Hill will focus on how better to allow the city to make decisions for itself.

I only made it through watching about 3 1/2 hours of Monday's D.C. Council hearing on the same-sex marriage bill before I had to call it a night, and the majority of speakers I heard supported the legislation. Gay, straight, and religious leaders alike came forward to share moving personal stories about what it would mean for the longtime committed same-sex couples in their lives to finally be able to marry. But there were plenty of opponents among those who testified as well. Many cited their anger that the bill's passage appeared to be a foregone conclusion, since it already has enough co-signers to clear the full Council. Others referenced deeply held religious beliefs that marriage can only be between one man and one woman. The tone of the evening ranged from reasoned discourse to tears to outright shouting.

The D.C. Council Committee on Public Safety and the Judiciary's hearing on the same-sex marriage bill is going on now, and you can watch it live online.

As we wrote this morning, Monday's going to be a long day for members of the D.C. Council's Committee on the Judiciary and Public Safety, as they hear public testimony on the same-sex marriage bill. The committee has since released the list of witnesses for Monday – all 100 of them.