Councilmembers David Grosso and Anita Bonds sent a letter to Chairman Phil Mendelson today requesting that he hold a hearing and mark up of permanent legislation to rename the holiday observed on the second Monday in October to Indigenous Peoples’ Day given the overwhelming support shown by councilmembers for temporary legislation in October.
“The renaming of the holiday observed on the second Monday in October to Indigenous Peoples’ day aligns with the values of equality, diversity, and inclusion which the District of Columbia holds in high esteem,” the councilmembers wrote. “…You may disagree with a supermajority of the Council but recognize that we can have an amicable legislative process despite our differences.”
For nearly 5 years, permanent legislation has been introduced to rename Columbus Day, but Chairman Mendelson has opposed the bill and never held a hearing. In October, Councilmember Grosso moved emergency legislation to bypass the Committee of the Whole and force a vote of the full Council on the legislation. Eleven of the thirteen members of the Council voted to pass the measure and the Mayor signed it into law. The District of Columbia celebrated it’s first-ever Indigenous Peoples’ Day on October 14, 2019.
“It is not unprecedented for a committee chairperson to move a bill out of committee despite personal opposition or differences,” they wrote in the letter, citing then-Councilmember Yvette Alexander’s opposition to the Death with Dignity Act of 2016 which was eventually passed into law. “In her remarks at that markup, the Councilmember noted that this was not a bill that she supported and that while she and other members may disagree, all of us are working in the best interests of the residents of the District of Columbia. I find that sentiment to be true here as well.”
You can read the full letter below.