(Photo by James Calder)

The D.C. Council is considering “emergency legislation” on Tuesday to speed up the symbolic renaming of the 1200 block of U Street after Ben’s Chili Bowl ahead of the iconic restaurant’s 60th anniversary.

The council already has regular legislation pending in the form of the “Ben’s Chili Bowl Way Designation Act of 2018,” but the D.C. Council’s somewhat byzantine legislative process won’t clear that bill in time for the anniversary celebration in August.

Luckily, the council has a workaround for just these kinds of situations. “Emergency legislation” doesn’t necessarily mean the issue at hand is an emergency—it’s just a way for the council to pass temporary legislation quickly as its more permanent analog moves through the normal process (emergency legislation gets to skip committees, public hearings, and the two full council votes normally necessary for the passage of bills. It does, however, need nine council votes to pass instead of the usual seven, and it only lasts for up to 90 days).

“‘Emergency’ is a vestige-y term of art that dates from the District charter and all it implies is that it is of brief duration and was approved by a supermajority,” Josh Gibson, the D.C. Council spokesperson, told DCist last year.

The council will vote on the emergency resolution, which was introduced by Chairman Phil Mendelson and Ward 1 Councilmember Brianne Nadeau, on July 10. If it passes, it will take effect immediately.

Ben’s Chili Bowl’s original location on U Street is a staple of the neigbhorhood, and it has expanded to H Street and National Airport. The mural outside the building is also a touchstone for the neighborhood; it was updated last year with a mural featuring more than a dozen famous black Washingtonians.

“Ben’s Chili Bowl will celebrate their 60th anniversary, and I could think of no better way to honor the Ali family for their steadfast commitment to Washington, D.C., than through the creation of another tremendous mural,” said Mayor Muriel Bowser at the outdoor ceremony unveiling the new work last year. “The love Ben’s Chili Bowl has shown the District since 1958 is surpassed only by the love our city has shown them right back.”

The 60th anniversary celebration is scheduled for August 22, with a festival from 12 p.m. – 4 p.m. and a fundraising gala for the Ben’s Chili Bowl Foundation at 7 p.m. at the Lincoln Theater. According to the emergency legislation, the celebration will include the unveiling of signage designating the block as “Ben’s Chili Bowl Way.”