Photo by Pappa91Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi told reporters today that she thinks the District of Columbia ought to be able to pass laws legalizing same-sex marriage without Congress sticking its nose in its business.
The Hill quotes the Democratic leader as saying D.C. should be treated just like any other jurisdiction on this matter: “I don’t think Congress should intervene, any more than we should intervene when New York did something similar,” Pelosi said.
Pelosi’s comments come the day after the D.C. Council voted overwhelming to pass a law allowing the District to recognize same-sex marriages performed legally in other states. The number of states that allow gay marriage increased to five today, as Maine’s governor signed that state’s same-sex marriage bill into law.
At-large D.C. Council member David Catania has said that he intends to introduce a broader gay marriage bill before the Council later this year. Whether he follows through will largely depend on how Congress reacts to the current bill.
Leading the charge against the marriage recognition law in Congress is Rep. Jason Chaffetz (R-Ut.), who is using the issue to continue to set himself up as enemy No. 1 to District Home Rule. Here’s what he told the Washington Post: “It’s not something I can let go softly into the night. . . . I recognize the Democrats are in the majority, but I represent the majority of Americans on this issue.” DCist readers will remember Chaffetz, who is the ranking Republican on the House Oversight and Government Reform subcommittee that oversees the District, as one of the leading voices against D.C. voting rights.
Proponents of the marriage recognition measure, which Mayor Adrian Fenty has said he will sign, are hopeful that any congressional attempts to block the bill from becoming law can be thwarted by Democratic majorities in both houses. Still, anyone who has followed the progress of the D.C. House Voting Rights Act over the last four months is well aware that when it comes to Congress and the District, nothing is ever a sure thing.
