The D.C. Council quietly altered the titles of progressive bills in hopes of evading scrutiny from President-elect Donald Trump and the incoming Republican-controlled Congress, the Washington Post reported.
One of the bills, which would establish a group to study reparations proposals for African Americans, was initially titled the "Reparations Foundation Fund and Task Force Establishment Act," but has since been renamed the "Insurance Database Amendment Act."
Another bill, originally called the "Advancing the Range of Reproductive Options for Washingtonians Amendment Act," is now titled, "Insurance Regulation Amendment Act." The bill would require private insurance companies to pay for vasectomy procedures and services.
Both bills were edited around Nov. 18, the Post reported.
The edits are part of an effort across the D.C. government to take a more neutral tone on controversial issues with hopes of evading GOP pushback, according to D.C. Council chairman Phil Mendelson (D.) and two other city officials. The D.C. Council is subject to oversight by Congress, meaning a Republican-controlled legislature could block or overturn progressive bills.
Before Republicans flipped the White House and Senate, council member Robert C. White Jr. (D.) intended to advocate for a bill that would expand the D.C. Council. White is now pausing the effort, which he saw as "red meat" for GOP lawmakers in Congress to criticize the expansion of D.C. government or statehood.
"The District has to be strategic to not throw red meat in front of Republicans when they control the House, the Senate and the White House," White said.
The D.C. Council also canceled hearings on two other bills just three days after the election.
One of the bills up for hearing would have banned the sale of real fur in the district. The other would have made it easier for the D.C. attorney general’s office and Washington, D.C., residents to sue gun makers.
Congressional Republicans have blocked the council’s far-left legislation in the past, including a bill in 2023 that would have allowed illegal immigrants to vote in local elections.
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