A Look at the Anacostia River

By:  Mariama Conteh*

The Anacostia River has been unsafe as far as many can remember, but according to documents, this river has been paying the price of human actions since the Europeans were here. Industrial toxic chemicals also had a great impact in making the river unhealthy for residents to even be near the water due to its harmful attributes. Unfortunately, many people throw their waste products in the river, adding to the contamination resulting in its current state. Further, factories took advantage of the watershed and started to pollute the Anacostia River by leaving their toxic chemicals behind. These companies are the main cause of why the river is causing health related problems, for example when left unabated, these chemicals release carcinogens into the air, opening doors for cancer.

It could be argued that the pollution of the Anacostia River has worsened the sickness and unemployment rates in Wards 7 and 8, as these rates are significantly higher than across the rest of the city. The health of the Anacostia River is a direct reflection of the health of the communities it surrounds. Research has revealed that, “one of the most notable chemical pollutants in the river is polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs), which have immune, reproductive, endocrine, and neurological effects, and may cause cancer and affect children's cognitive development. This and other chemicals build up in the river bottom, where they make their way up the food chain and become stored in the tissues of fish, posing a health threat if people consume them.[1]” This cannot continue because it puts D.C. residents in danger, especially if they ingest a fish caught in the river.

Recognizing the environmental and health harms associated with the river, several nonprofit organizations as well as the D.C. government have stepped up to proactively address the health of the river. Councilmember David Grosso has, each year, participated in volunteer clean-up efforts of the Anacostia River.  Additionally, Councilmember Grosso has collaborated with the Seafarers Yacht Club and visited several sites along the river. Meanwhile, schools have the opportunity to do some community service work and to also make a change in their Wards. Schools such as the one that I currently attend, Cesar Chavez PCS Capitol Hill, have frequented the river in an effort to raise awareness of the dangers associated with a river containing harmful toxins and enable students to participate in clean-up efforts. The unfortunate truth of the river is that people and their actions have caused this situation; however, people also have the power to change the river’s course and agencies like the D.C. Department of Energy & Environment are doing the best they can, to undo the damage that has been caused.  I hope that in my lifetime I will be able to enjoy an Anacostia River where I can swim freely, fish and generally be able to have a stable and healthy river and community at large.

*Mariama is a rising senior at Cesar Chavez PCS Capitol Hill and is participating in the school’s Public Policy Fellowship, with Councilmember Grosso. This post is part of an ongoing series of posts by Councilmember Grosso’s staff to support professional development. All posts are approved and endorsed by Councilmember Grosso.

[1] http://response.restoration.noaa.gov/about/media/study-reveals-dc-community-anacostia-river-eating-and-sharing-contaminated-fish.html

Grosso exchange of letters with DOES about WIC's oversight of youth programs

02262016 Grosso Letter to DOES Re_WIC by Team_Grosso

03232016 Response Letter From DOES Re_WIC

Grosso exchange with Department of Health Care Finance on Medicaid for returning citizens

Earlier this year, Councilmember Grosso's staff began researching policy issues for D.C. residents who are Medicaid recipients and become incarcerated. According to the National Council of State Legislatures, D.C. and many other states terminate an individual's Medicaid when that person is sentenced to prison--but under Medicaid rules, the government could also suspend the individual's Medicaid until their release. Grosso wrote to Director Wayne Turnage of the Department of Health Care Finance (which handles D.C.'s Medicaid policies) about this issue, and got a very informative letter in response. This included the revelation that DHCF had recently amended this policy to the best practice of suspending, not terminating, Medicaid. Good news for public health and public safety. You can read the letters below:

Grosso letter to DHCF on Medicaid Suspension for Prisoners

DHCF Response to Grosso Medicaid Implementation for Incarcerated and Returning Citizens

Grosso Invites the Community to the 2016 Politics and Arts: A Jam Session!

To RSVP for Politics & Art, please click here.

Grosso Writes a Letter to the CFO Requesting Needed Updates to their Systems for Recording Real Estate Evaluations

08242015 Letter to OCFO-Systems Glitch

03032016 CFO Response to 8-25-2015 Letter

Grosso recognized in Advocate's "18 Greatest Allies for Trans Equality in Office"

Our 18 Greatest Allies for Trans Equality in Office

David Grosso

David Grosso, a member of the Washington, D.C., City Council and an independent, has been a stalwart advocate for transgender equality, helping to usher through legislation that makes the nation’s capital one of the most progressive cities for trans rights in the nation.

“[Grosso] has been an amazing supporter of the trans community, from hiring trans people on his staff to sponsoring (and passing!) bills that help the trans community, like the recent health care cultural competency bill,” says Alison Gill, a senior partner at the Parallax Group who has helped author and pass trans-friendly health care, anti-conversion therapy, and antibullying bills.

To view the article in its entirety, please click here:

http://www.advocate.com/transgender/2016/2/25/our-18-greatest-allies-trans-equality-office

The Case for Black History Month

By:  Katrina Forrest*

Just a few days into Black History Month, Beyonce released her new song and video, “Formation,” which managed to instill in me, and many others who look like me, a great sense of pride, empowerment and sheer joy.  

Watching the video, I was moved to tears.  The imagery is powerful, depicting a young Black boy wearing a hoodie, dancing with reckless abandon in front of a line of uniformed police officers; graffiti which reads “stop killing us”; and a police cruiser submerging in post-Katrina waters.

It was incredible, and not simply because one of the greatest contemporary entertainers, who has generally not upset the status quo, took an overt political stance—but also because those images weren’t from 1962. The images, the song, and the cultural context in which they arrived all flout the sentiment that “slavery happened centuries ago” or “the civil rights movement was 50 years ago.”

Those who fervently believe that the vestiges of slavery should be ignored because so much time has past are the same individuals who, year after year, heap criticism on Black History Month. From Blacks and people of other races, the argument most commonly employed to oppose Black History Month, is that is unfair to devote an entire month to a single group of people.  The usual complaint goes something like, “Well, why don’t we have a White History Month”?  This argument only makes sense if you have no understanding of the historical—and enduring—systemic persecution and discrimination that has faced people of African descent in the United States.

From slavery, to Jim Crow, to Ferguson, MO and Baltimore, MD, American imagery and society at large, has notoriously depicted blackness as uneducated, combative, aggressive, dangerous, promiscuous, and unworthy of basic human rights. As Black people, we have endured and continue to suffer from the impact of racism, which presents barriers to social and economic participation, resulting in entrenched disadvantage and social exclusion.  

I was hopeful that with the election of President Barack Obama we would see meaningful change in the way Black Americans were perceived and discussed.  Unfortunately, racism that had been characterized by a certain subtlety was re-enlivened, more bold and overt than I can ever remember in my short 30 years on this earth. 

Since his election, we’ve seen innumerable racist attacks on the President, Paula Dean’s longing to return to a pre-Civil War era America, outrage over a Cheerios commercial depicting a multiracial family, and the alarming rate at which Black people continue to be murdered by the police.    

All of this is exactly why Beyonce’s latest song and video are so powerful and important—they cast Black people as beautiful and resilient.  Performing the song at Super Bowl 50, in the year of the 50th anniversary of the founding of the Black Panther Party, Beyonce held the torch for Black activism and showed the masses that our Black is excellent.  In that moment, she made it okay to not fit European beauty standards, she made it okay to be unapologetically bold, Black and extraordinary.  How fitting all of this occurred in the month designated for the recognition of Black contributions to America.

In 2016, Black people are still fighting for personhood. We are still fighting for the recognition of our inherent value.  This is the reality that must be grappled with when someone asks, “Well, why don’t we have a White History Month”?  Until we no longer need to rely on Beyonce and our other celebrities to use their platforms to validate us, to embrace our beauty and show us we are worthy; until Black history becomes a subject thoroughly incorporated into the core curricula of schools across the country; until Black people, who account for merely 13 percent of the U.S. population, no longer represent three times that in the prison population; until White families no longer hold 7 times the wealth of Black families; until the Oscars finally recognize the contributions of Black actors, actresses, producers and directors; until our dead bodies are no longer being left in the street to rot for hours; there remains an incredible case for Black History Month.

*This post is part of an ongoing series of posts by Councilmember Grosso’s staff to support professional development. All posts are approved and endorsed by Councilmember Grosso.

Grosso writes a letter to DDOT in Support of Bike Lanes

Grosso's Letter to DDOT-Support for Bike Lanes by Team_Grosso

Grosso writes a letter to the editor of The Washington Post: Make D.C. more business-friendly

Make D.C. more business-friendly

The Washington Post

February 5

The Feb. 3 Food article “Dining delayed: Why new restaurants don’t debut on time” covered some of the bureaucratic land mines that businesses face, but it failed to go deeper into the true culprit of time and money lost: the D.C. government. For both new and well-established businesses, the numerous permits and licenses that must be obtained and the fees paid are the true indication of our city’s cumbersome, bureaucratic processes. That is why I introduced a bill that would create an ombudsman for business owners to assist with interacting with government agencies, eliminate the need for a certificate of occupancy prior to being awarded a basic business license, lower some fees, waive permitting fees when an owner opens or relocates a business, and extend the trade-name issuance from two years to five years to remove the burden of costly biennial reporting.

This bill begins a long-overdue and necessary conversation about how the government can enact responsible laws and regulations that do not hinder the greatest drivers of our local economy. If the District is as business-friendly as it claims, then it must look inward to find genuine ways to reform practices and procedures.

David Grosso, Washington

The writer, an independent, is an at-large member of the D.C. Council.

Source: The Washington Post

Grosso's opening statement from the introduction of the "Strengthening Transparency and Open Access to Government Amendment Act of 2016."

Thank you Chairman Mendelson. Today, along with Councilmember Cheh, I am introducing the Strengthening Transparency and Open Access to Government Amendment Act of 2016.

Since joining the Council of the District of Columbia, I have advocated for more openness and transparency in our government. It is my strong belief that an open and transparent government is more likely to be an effective and ethical government—a good government. When we open up the government for our residents to see, it increases confidence in our work, and lets the public highlight areas for improvement. Our Council and the D.C. government have been leaders in this area, with a long-standing and strong Freedom of Information Act and more recently the Open Meetings Act and the Open Government Office Act.  

The legislation I am introducing today would strengthen all three of these existing laws. This bill codifies many of the open data practices already in use by our agencies including making datasets and information available proactively, and in accessible formats. This bill establishes in D.C. law the principle that if government information is deemed appropriate to share with one person under a Freedom of Information Act request, it should be shared with everyone and ought to be proactively published. The bill makes the Freedom of Information Act appeals process more objective by shifting that function to the independent Office of Open Government. The bill expands reporting requirements for agencies and the Council, while also allowing agencies more time to respond to requests. 

The bill strengthens the Open Meetings Act by requiring that a public meeting is one where the public is permitted to be present, creating a complaint process for alleged violations, and a private right of action for residents when a meeting that should be open is improperly closed. The bill requires the Mayor to publish information about appointees to governmental boards and commissions in a centralized location and to collect demographic data about appointees. And the bill strengthens the Office of Open Government, which I think needs more resources even under its current role, which is why I recently asked the Mayor to include additional money in her FY17 budget for the Office. Having an open and accountable government is something we should constantly strive for in D.C. 

Numerous advocates as well as the Office of Open Government helped me write this bill, and I am thankful for their efforts. I am also thankful for Mayor Bowser’s commitment to transparency, including the new initiatives she announced last week, which this legislation complements. I yield the remainder of my time to my co-introducer, Councilmember Cheh, and I welcome any co-sponsors.  

Strengthening Transparency and Open Access to Government Amendment Act of 2016

Councilmember Grosso and Councilmember Cheh introduced this bill on January 19, 2016.

Strengthening Transparency and Open Access to Govt Amdt Act

A Day of Service: Honoring MLK’s Legacy

By:  Matthew Nolan, Intern*

Each year, many of us review our calendars eagerly anticipating federal holidays. When we were in school we looked to see if we had any days off during a particular month. Though Martin Luther King, Jr. Day is one of those days that we get off; we are often blinded by our excitement for a welcome respite that we do not reflect on the meaning and the legacy behind the day.

This year, January 18th honors, and celebrates Dr. King’s tireless efforts to advance racial and social equality. This day should reflect the ideals of service, courage, truth, and justice; the very ideals that have become synonymous with Dr. King. Here at Team Grosso, we strive to uphold all of these values, but that is simply not enough.  The purpose of this day is to get everyone to pledge to these values through continued acts of service.

Although much around the world has changed, we still need to take many steps forward if we are to realize Dr. King’s dream. To honor his legacy, Team Grosso will participate in the Tenth Annual MLK Peace Walk on Monday, January 18th at 11:00a. 

Team Grosso is challenging you to do something, not just on MLK Day but beyond, to uphold the ideals and values of Martin Luther King, Jr. Below, we have listed a few events taking place around the city, that we hope you will consider.  Wishing you a safe and happy weekend!

Tenth Annual MLK Peace Walk and Parade 2016

Monday, January 18, 2016

9:30am-1:00pm

2500 Martin Luther King, Jr. Ave., SE

Beautification Day at the MLK Memorial

Saturday, January 16, 2016

10:00a-1:00p

MLK Memorial

1964 Independence Ave., SW, 20227

 MLK Day of Service to Clean up Pope Branch

Monday, January 18, 2016

9:00a-12:00p

Fairlawn Ave., SE & M Place, 20020

MLK Day of Service with City Year

Monday, January 18, 2016

8:00a-1:00p

Ballou High School

Hart Middle School

Simon Elementary School

*This post is part of an ongoing series of posts by Councilmember Grosso’s staff to support professional development. All posts are approved and endorsed by Councilmember Grosso.

Grosso's opening statement from second hearing on Universal Paid Leave Act of 2015

Thank you, Chairman Mendelson. I would like to thank you for scheduling and holding this series of hearings. Your approach to constructing a witness list and timing the hearings on this bill allow everyone to hear diverse perspectives on the “Universal Paid Leave Act of 2015” and get us to the most informed place as we move forward. 

At this point, we are all aware that, as introduced, Bill 21-415, “The Universal Paid Leave Act” will establish a fund to enable workers in the District of Columbia or individuals paying into the fund to receive some amount of paid leave for a qualifying event such as birth or adoption of a child, caring for a sick family member, or for self-care. The fund will be supported by payments from employers, the self-employed, and certain individual employees.

As Chairperson of the Committee on Education, I believe that investing in our families will benefit the lives of all of our residents and our city’s children. This bill will help workers take the time they need to support their families or themselves without having to make the hard choice between a paycheck and their immediate health needs. Numerous studies and data have shown that forms of paid leave are good for people of all ages and help to retain a strong and productive workforce.

The economic data we need in order to come to a final conclusion on this legislation is extremely complicated and how we apply those numbers is contentious. We are here today to get as much information as we can to inform the process and ensure that we are aware of exactly what the fiscal and economic impact of this bill will be. 

I believe that the long-term effects will be good for our businesses and the economy of the District of Columbia.  It will increase a person’s likelihood to return to work after a qualifying event, therefore decreasing the costs associated with employee turnover. It will make the District of Columbia a city where people want to work and have children, and it will give all of our businesses a competitive edge by offering progressive benefits packages at a lower cost than they can now.

During the drafting process and since the first hearing, my office and many others have been using tax data, employee numbers, the data from California, New Jersey, and Rhode Island, and the preliminary findings of the Institute for Women’s Policy Research which has been studying our current paid leave policies in the D.C. Government. The introduction of this legislation has enabled many of our fiscal partners, who are here today, to create more sophisticated models and deeper sets of numbers, so that we as legislators can determine what is feasible.  

As written, the bill has over ten variables that if adjusted would lower the cost of the bill or the burdens on employers or residents. In our conversations about the proposed legislation, I have heard many of the concerns and believe there are shifts that can be made and we are analyzing all of them closely.   

As the bill moves through the  process at the Council, I am committed to continuing to work closely with our Chief Financial Officer, the Council budget office, Chairman Mendelson, businesses, advocates, and experts to complete the details of what options we have for providing the best amount of paid family and medical leave for the maximum number of D.C. workers.

We have a lot of work to do to get to a final piece of legislation that everyone can be proud of and take responsibility for and that will help all of our workforce and qualifying residents to take the paid time off that they need without creating a new and extreme burden on our businesses.  

With that, I want to thank everyone who is here today or is submitting testimony for the record. I appreciate the time that you have all taken, regardless of your position on the bill, to study it and provide us with your feedback.

I look forward to the testimony and engaging in a robust dialogue with the witnesses. Thank you. 

Grosso's letter on public art addressing street harassment

In December, following a Council hearing on street harassment, Councilmember Grosso sent a letter to the D.C. Commission on the Arts and Humanities asking them to consider funding grants to artists to address the problem with public art. In January, the Commission's executive director responded. You can read both letters below.

Grosso, D.C. Commission on Arts & Humanities exchange on street harassment

Grosso's position on the “Marijuana Possession Decriminalization Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2016”

Councilmember Grosso recorded a quick video update on his decision to oppose the “Marijuana Possession Decriminalization Clarification Emergency Amendment Act of 2016”--you can read more about his position after the jump.

This legislation amends the Marijuana Possession Decriminalization Amendment Act of 2014 to clarify that the prohibition of consumption of marijuana in a public space also includes private clubs. It also requires the Mayor to revoke any license, certificate of occupancy, or permit held by an entity that knowingly permits a violation of law concerning the consumption of marijuana in a public space.

I have been a strong proponent of marijuana decriminalization, legalization and regulation in D.C. since I became a member of the Council in 2013. I co-introduced the decriminalization law and actively supported the passage of Initiative 71. But I also introduced measures in 2013 and 2015 to tax and regulate the sale of retail marijuana in D.C. as I strongly believe that it is important for us to setup an equitable system governed by clear rules and regulations if we are truly to limit arrests and dissolve the underground market. As you may know, D.C. is currently under a congressional rider which prohibits the Council and Mayor on moving forward on any measures to tax and/or regulate the legal sale of retail marijuana. I strongly oppose Congressional leadership interfering with D.C.’s ability to govern itself and believe that at times it’s appropriate for us to defy Congress and do what’s right for D.C. residents.

I opposed this legislation because I believe it was a step toward doing just that. My interest in marijuana decriminalization and legalization laws has always been about social justice and ending the arrests and racial disparity in terms of enforcement. In the absences of available venues outside of a private residence for individuals to consume marijuana products legally, the disparity will continue. Further, this matter is currently being debated in the Committee on Judiciary via permanent legislation and I believe the Council should have the opportunity to fully debate before extending this emergency. I believed that my colleagues and I could work together with the Executive to craft an approach to this issue that is measured. Unfortunately, the bill passed today by a vote of 9-4.

I will continue to work on this issue as the full Council prepares to consider this measure at the February 2, 2016 Legislative Meeting. Thank you again for reaching out with your concerns.

Campaign finance reform goes local

by Nancy Marshall-Genzer, December 11, 2015, Marketplace

It’s a wet, chilly December morning in the nation’s capital, but the mood is upbeat in the Wilson Building, the seat of city government in Washington. D.C. Here council member David Grosso is about to unveil his latest campaign finance reform bill.

“I’m excited to be here this morning for this press conference,” he told a crowd of supporters. Grosso called the press conference to introduce what he calls fair elections legislation: a bill that would establish public financing for local candidates to counteract big money in city elections.

“For me this is about lifting up the voice of the everyday voter and making sure that individuals in the District of Columbia feel that they have the same power as the big corporations have,” he said.

[David Grosso announces campaign finance reform legislation.]

David Grosso announces campaign finance reform legislation.

Office of Council Member David Grosso

Earlier, Grosso told me he modeled his legislation after a public financing law in Connecticut, and he noticed that Seattle voters passed a measure establishing publicly funded vouchers that voters can hand out to candidates. Maine voters updated their public financing system too.  Grosso said there is a common theme across it all.

“The Supreme Court has ruled; I think the Congress members aren’t doing much of anything at all, so they’re really kind of stuck," he said. "So, all these local jurisdictions are starting to say, 'Hey, we can try to tackle this on our own.'”

Nick Penniman wants to help those local jurisdictions. He heads a campaign finance reform group called Issue One.  He wants to help local lawmakers like Grosso introduce legislation on things like public financing of elections, ethics, and lobbying reform. His plan?  Develop boilerplate reform legislation for local politicians.  

“We want to be able to give them great models that they can pull off the shelf, slap their name on, file and begin fighting for reform at the state and local level,” he said.

There’s just one problem.   A few problems, actually, according to Richard Briffault.  He’s an expert on campaign finance law at Columbia University.  Voters can have mixed feelings about public financing of elections.

“I mean public funding has often been criticized as welfare for politicians," he said. "You get politicians saying the public’s money should go to schools or police, and not to campaigns. And that’s a popular stance.”

And then you have to get candidates to accept public money and the restrictions on private fundraising that usually come with it.  

“Public funding is not going to work, in the sense of becoming taken on by significant candidates, unless there’s a significant amount of money,” Briffault said.

Still, Briffault notes, it’s not a bad idea to pick your battles, and focus on cities and states where there’s an appetite for campaign finance reform.  For Nick Penniman of Issue One, his ultimate goal is national reform.

“What we’re trying to do is build momentum at the state level so that we can eventually surround Washington with victories and with energy that Washington won’t be able to bat away anymore,” he said.

Penniman said this is like the Gilded Age, the time around the turn of the 20th century when a hyperconcentration of wealth and political corruption led to major campaign finance reform. Unfortunately, it didn’t last. 

Agencies Improve Policies for Marginalized Residents to get Identity Documents

Earlier this fall, after discussions with advocates and community members, Councilmember Grosso sent letters to the Department of Motor Vehicles and the Department of Human Services out of concern that some policies are unnecessarily creating barriers for residents when they need to access identity documents. In particular, Grosso was concerned about the ability to get identity cards or driver's licenses for D.C. foster youth in placements outside of D.C., homeless residents, returning citizens, and low income residents who may have trouble producing certain documents or paying certain fees. 

In response to Grosso's letters, both DMV and DHS took immediate steps to improve or clarify their policies, and began discussions to update others. You can read the letters below--first Grosso's letter to DMV and the response from Director Babers, second Grosso's letter to DHS and the response from Director Zeilinger. The Councilmember thanks these agencies for their willingness to engage on these issues and make changes to their policies.

Grosso Letter to DMV on IDs & DMV Response

Grosso Letter to DHS on IDs & DHS Response