DFL Rep. Collin Peterson is joining with Republican Reps. Michele Bachmann and John Kline in strongly urging the District of Columbia to act quickly in implementing a ban on publicly subsidized abortions in the city. As part of the continuing resolution passed last week, Washington, D.C. has to halt paying for abortions under its programs for low-income women. Peterson, Bachmann and Kline were among several dozen Congress members who issued a letter on Tuesday that also asks D.C. for detailed reports about the new ban.

“We trust you will act immediately to respect and faithfully implement the law by ensuring that no further taxpayer funds are expended for elective abortion,” the members wrote. “We further request detailed information about abortion funding in the District during the period in which the D.C. Hyde amendment was not in place. With reinstatement of the D.C. Hyde amendment public funding for the destruction of innocent human life will no longer be permitted in D.C. However, history has shown that the District has not always complied with this policy when it has been in place in the past. When this policy was reinstated for FY96, the District continued to fund abortions in violation of the law until the violation was uncovered in FY98.”

The authors added, “We do not anticipate that this situation will occur again, but in light of this history, we ask that you provide detailed information outlining what steps you are taking to ensure that no more public funds are used to pay for elective abortion in D.C.”

The letter was sent to DC Mayor Vincent Gray, who, along with several DC council members, were arrested after protesting the riders in the continuing resolution which impose mandates on the District. In addition to the abortion ban, the continuing resolution also mandated religious school vouchers at taxpayer expense.

Here’s the letter:

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Bachmann and Kline signed their names to a brief (pdf) submitted to the D.C. Superior Court by televangelist Pat Robertson’s American Center for Law and Justice.

“Under the United States Constitution, they serve as members of the ultimate legislative authority for the District of Columbia and the very body which delegated to the District its limited legislative power under home rule,” the filing states. “As members of the District’s ultimate legislative body, amici are concerned about the extent of the District’s delegated legislative authority, the preservation of Congress’s constitutional authority, and the interpretation of home rule.”

The court has 30 days to rule on the issue before the law takes effect.

(Wikipedia)

The Council of the District of Columbia voted unanimously Tuesday to allow Washington, D.C., to recognize same-sex marriages performed outside the district. The decision comes on the heels of a string of victories for advocates on the issue, as Iowa and Vermont — and even Sweden — have legalized same-sex marriage in recent days.

The vote awaits approval from Mayor Adrian Fenty and could find opposition from Congress, which administers the district.

“The D.C. Council’s votes today are another positive step toward equality, coming on the same day as the historic marriage vote in the Vermont Legislature,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese in a press release Tuesday. “We look forward to the final Council votes and urge Mayor Fenty to sign this commonsense legislation. We also hope that Congress will respect the Council’s votes and will respect the District of Columbia’s choice to provide equal recognition for couples who have legally entered into relationships in other jurisdictions.”