(From DCist contributor Terrance Heath)

It’s great that the D.C. Council is leaning towards giving gay and lesbian couples in the District many of the same rights as married heterosexual couples. Nine Council members have signed on to a bill that would give domestic partners legal rights including alimony, child support and rules for dividing property after a partnership is dissolved, but stop short of recognizing gay marriage or civil unions.

Imagine that. Equality before the law (or something close to it, at least), right here in our nation’s capital. It’s a good idea, however like many other good ideas in D.C. it will probably never see the light of day because of congressional oversight. Although the Council may pass the bill, it will have to survive Congress which seems unlikely given their predilections. The Examiner reports yesterday the political science professor they spoke to thinks “There will be no shortage of congressmen proposing to strike this bill down if and when it reaches Capitol Hill.”