D.C. Council member David Catania (I-At-large) reassured local gay and lesbian business owners over the weekend that despite the success of initiatives like Prop 8 in California and other states, he’s confident that a bill legalizing same-sex marriage in the District of Columbia will pass the D.C. Council next year.

Catania addressed the 2008 GLBT Economic Development Summit at the Washington Plaza Hotel on Saturday. He is one of two openly gay members of the D.C. Council.

In a brief interview with DCist, Catania reaffirmed that a same-sex marriage bill will be introduced to the Council in January, and that he is sure it will pass.

“Many of us on the Council believe that there is no better time that exists than now,” Catania said.

Much of the concern about the viability of D.C.’s marriage equality bill has been whether the success of California’s Prop 8, which repealed same-sex marriage in the state, would mean that Congress might feel compelled to veto the legislation. With Democratic gains in both the House and the Senate, Congress will certainly be friendlier to the issue in January, but that’s still no guarantee the bill won’t be derailed after it passes the Council and is signed by Mayor Fenty.

Photo by ann gav