For Immediate Release
March 2, 2016
Contact: Keenan Austin
(202) 724-8105
Grosso Opposes PSC Conditions to PEPCO/Exelon Merger Proposal
Washington, D.C.--Today, D.C. Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) released the following statement regarding the proposed merger between PEPCO and Exelon:
"After careful review and consideration of the Public Service Commission's revisions to the proposed PEPCO-Exelon merger agreement, I cannot support the Commission's order.
The conditions proposed by the PSC are problematic because, among other things, they remove the rate freeze through 2019, a protection so critical that its removal fundamentally alters the purpose of the revised agreement. Now, with our ratepayers potentially facing imminent rate increases, it is clear that the PSC's revisions are no better than the initial proposal nor the settlement agreement as amended and leave our residents far more vulnerable.
While I applaud the Mayor, the Attorney General and the Office of the People's Counsel for opposing the PSC's new conditions, I am deeply disappointed that the PSC has wavered.
There is no deal that could be put forward to address the primary reasons the PSC rejected this proposed merger last August. Exelon has failed to demonstrate a commitment to renewable energy and there is an inherent conflict of interest in their existing business model. These realities will not change.
The PSC's initial determination that this acquisition is not in the public interest was correct at the time when made and remains the only correct and appropriate outcome today.
Supporting these new conditions, and any other attempt to massage this deal through, is a slap in the face to our residents and ratepayers, who deserve consistently affordable rates, access to renewable energy sources and a commitment to reliable service.
This case has been a divisive and expensive distraction and it is time that we move on and commit to making real investments in the future of our energy services and study the feasibility of establishing our own municipal power utility."
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For Immediate Release
March 2, 2016
Contact: Keenan Austin
(202) 724-8105
Grosso Calls on Supreme Court to Uphold Women's Reproductive Rights
Washington, D.C.--Today, the Supreme Court of the United States will hear oral arguments in Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, a case that challenges the constitutionality of a Texas law that would effectively close many clinics that provide abortion services in that state. Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) made the following statement in advance of the oral arguments:
"Today I stand with millions of people across the country who want to see the Supreme Court make the right decision and protect access to abortion services. Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt revolves around the question of whether Texas law H.B. 2, and myriad others around the country, places an undue burden on access to abortion services. If allowed to go forward, the Texas law would close the majority of abortion providing clinics in the state, placing significant obstacles between a person seeking to terminate a pregnancy and access to such services.
In D.C., we are lucky to have some of the strongest protections of a woman's right to make decisions about her own body, despite continued interference by Congress. In 2014, the D.C. Council passed my Reproductive Health Non-Discrimination Amendment Act to stop employers from retaliating against employees for their reproductive health decisions, which Congressional Republicans unsuccessfully sought to block. I will continue to fight the Congressional rider that prohibits the D.C. government from spending local tax dollars on abortion services, creating barriers to access for our poorest residents. And I will continue to advance legislation to safeguard reproductive rights, like my bill that ended shackling of pregnant women and girls in D.C. detention facilities.
On a personal level, my wife and I make regular contributions to the D.C. Abortion Fund in an effort to help mitigate the impact of the Congressional rider. Similarly, in response to state laws passed to obstruct women's access to abortion, we also contribute regularly to Fund Texas Choice, a group that funds travel for women who do not live near an abortion provider, after over a dozen closed in Texas due to the new legislation.
No matter the Supreme Court's decision on Whole Woman's Health v. Hellerstedt, D.C. will remain a place where women's autonomy over their own reproductive choices will be protected."
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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
For Immediate Release
February 10, 2016
Contact:
Keenan Austin
(202) 724-8105
Grosso Supports New Neighborhood Shelters and Closing of D.C. General
WASHINGTON, D.C— Yesterday, February 9, 2016, Mayor Muriel Bowser and Department of Human Services (DHS) Director Laura Zeilinger announced the plans to close D.C.’s long-standing family homeless shelter, D.C. General, and plans to replace it with 8 small, neighborhood shelters spread across the city.
Councilmember David Grosso made the following statement in response to this announcement:
Like many of you I have seen the dysfunction of so many parts of our response to these vulnerable residents. I see the Homeward DC plan as critical to our effort to transform how we handle homelessness. Homeward DC is a carefully crafted five year strategic plan to address our city’s homelessness issue, planned by our government and in extensive consultation with the community. Director Zeilinger's track record over the past year speaks volumes as she has made significant structural changes within DHS and implemented smart policy reforms like year-round access to shelter for families.
The Council stepped up to the plate last year and made an unprecedented investment in homeless services, including the replacement of D.C. General as the main shelter for housing our homeless families. As the transitioning of residents from D.C. General goes forward, we must meticulously track the effort and ensure that these new shelters provide positive and healthy environments and feature extensive wrap around services. To me, these are critical human rights issues--I am glad to see us as a city take the human rights of these most marginalized residents more seriously. I hope that everyone will all be supportive of the Mayor’s approach and see to it that we get these shelters up and running quickly.
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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.
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
For Immediate Release
February 10, 2016
Contact: Keenan Austin
(202) 724-8105
MEDIA ADVISORY
Reception to Honor the 30th Annual Black History Invitational Swim Meet
WASHINGTON, D.C. – During a previous legislative session on January 5th, Councilmember David Grosso introduced, and the D.C. Council approved, the 30th Annual Black History Invitational Swim Meet Recognition Resolution of 2016. The DC Wave Swim Team is the District of Columbia’s only nationally competitive public youth swim team. Each year DC Wave holds the Black History Invitational Swim Meet, a three day swimming competition attracting nearly 800 minority competitors, ages 5-18.
Councilmember Grosso would like to extend an invitation to the community to join a reception in honor of the 30th Annual Black History Swim Meet hosted by DC Wave Swim Team from the Takoma Aquatic Center. This event will be held on the 1st floor foyer of the John A. Wilson Building on Wednesday, February 10th from 6:00pm-9:00pm. Councilmember Grosso has also invited the DC Wave Swim Team to join in celebrating this accomplishment.
WHO: Councilmember David Grosso
D.C. Wave
Mayor Muriel Bowser
WHAT: Reception to Honor the 30th Annual Black History Invitational Swim Meet
WHEN: Wednesday, February 10th at 6:00 p.m. – 9:00 p.m.
WHERE: 1st Floor Foyer, John A. Wilson Building, 1350 Pennsylvania Avenue N.W. Washington, D.C.
WHY: To honor and recognize the significance of the Black History Invitational Swim Meet, as well as African American swimmers from across the country, in advance of the 30th Annual Black History Invitational Swim Meet which will take place on February 12-14, 2016 at the Takoma Aquatic Center.
For Immediate Release
February 9, 2016
Contact: Keenan Austin
(202) 724-8105
MEDIA ADVISORY
Results Released on the Impact of the Healthy Schools Act of 2010
WASHINGTON, D.C. - This year marks the fifth anniversary of the Healthy Schools Act (HSA), a law enacted to reduce obesity rates among students attending public and public charter schools in the District of Columbia. The HSA sought to combat those trends by increasing student access to healthy meals, providing physical education and health-classes, and requiring physical activity during the school day. On February 9th, researchers from American University will present the findings of a five-year independent study, funded by Kaiser Permanente, on the implementation and effects of the HSA.
WHO: Councilmember Mary M. Cheh
Councilmember Yvette Alexander
Councilmember David Grosso
Celeste A. James, Director
Kaiser Permanente, Mid-Atlantic States
Anastasia Snelling, Ph.D., R.D., Professor
Dean, American University School of Education
Chair, American University Department of Health Studies
Sarah Irvine Belson, Ph.D.
Associate Professor
Executive Director, American University
Institute for Innovation in
Education
Amanda Delabar
Principal, Tubman Elementary School
WHAT: Presentation of research findings on the
implementation and impact of
the Healthy Schools Act
WHEN: Tuesday, February 9th at 12:00 pm
WHERE: Mayor's Press Briefing Room - Room G9
John A. Wilson Building
1350 Pennsylvania Ave, NW
For Immediate Release
February 1, 2016
Contact: Keenan Austin
(202) 724-8105
Grosso Attends First Workforce Investment Council Meeting of 2016
Washington, D.C.—Today, D.C. Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) attended the first Workforce Investment Council (“WIC”) meeting of 2016 where the Board welcomed the new Chairman, Andy Shallal and Executive Director, Odie Donald. The Board primarily focused on adopting the draft of the D.C. Unified State Workforce Development 4-Year Plan, which is necessary for U.S. Departments of Labor compliance with the federal Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (“WIOA”) that became federal law on July 22, 2014.
Councilmember Grosso released the following statement on the meeting and his role on the WIC:
“I am hopeful that now with a new Chair and Executive Director, the Board can continue its important work. It is critical that while the WIC is keenly focused on the drafting of the 4-year state plan in the months ahead, we must still honor the previous work of the Board to better align the business community, D.C. government agencies, and WIC sanctioned bodies like the American Jobs Center Subcommittee and the Career Pathways Taskforce to produce greater workforce readiness and training. Timelines for the WIC must be made clear to the members of the D.C. Council and that as an oversight body, the Council is encouraged to be heavily engaged during the plans’ passive approval period later this month.
As the Chairman on the Committee of Education, I am particularly concerned about the coordination between public charter schools concentrated on adult education and youth reengagement, the DCPS career academies, the DC ReEngagement Center, and UDC’s Community College. All of those bodies receive public dollars to educate our youth and adults to become career and college ready. Those providers rely heavily on the WIC, the Department of Employment Services, and other key agencies to expeditiously move available federal and local dollars. It is imperative to me that the WIC is routinely reviewing agencies who are responsible for allocating those dollars and that the WIC has timely review and vote periods to ensure that providers are not losing out on available funding. Public education service providers and trainers need to be a major focus of our conversations about the 4-year state plan.”
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Grosso Calls on Obama Administration to Cease Raids Targeting Central American Immigrant Communities
For Immediate Release
January 29, 2016
Contact: Keenan Austin
(202) 724-8105
Grosso Calls on Obama Administration to Cease Raids Targeting Central American Immigrant Communities
Washington, D.C.—Today, D.C. Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) released the following statement on the recent Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) raids and deportations targeting Central American immigrant communities:
“Today I am calling on President Barack Obama and Department of Homeland Security Secretary Jeh Johnson to cease the policy of targeting Central American immigrant communities for detention and deportation. As a young man I traveled to Honduras and El Salvador to accompany refugees seeking to return to their homes and I saw firsthand the violence affecting these communities. I know that that the legacy of that war and instability continues today.
As the Chairman on the Committee of Education, I am particularly concerned about the impact of these raids and deportations on our students and their families, filling them with fear and causing emotional distress. Trauma, whether stemming from families being raided by ICE, gun violence plaguing our streets, or economic inequality that keeps children in poverty, stand as a significant barrier to the success of the students in our schools; I have made addressing such adversity a top priority for the Committee. Families, unaccompanied minors, and workers fleeing violence and persecution in Central America need our support and care, not fear of detention and removal.
Just last summer I stood with immigrant communities and Congresswoman Norton to oppose fear-mongering and draconian legislation proposed in Congress to overturn local policies in D.C. and other jurisdictions which seek to protect human rights of immigrants. Migration is a fundamental human right recognized by the United Nations. Our federal government should focus its efforts on fixing our broken immigration system, not on breaking up families and sowing panic. President Obama should cease these ill-conceived actions immediately. In D.C. we stand for the human rights of everyone, including of our immigrant neighbors regardless of legal status.”
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I often describe myself as Brooklyn born, Southern raised. I loved spending my younger years in a city that was so diverse and rich with culture, but what really influenced my path was becoming a military kid, albeit reluctantly. When I was in the third grade my mother joined the United States Army. At the time I could only see that decision as an inconvenience to my 8-year old world, a feeling that only grew as we began to move about every two years further and further into the Deep South.
Good afternoon. The time is now 2:07pm, we are in Room 123 of the John A. Wilson Building, and I am calling this additional meeting of the Committee on Education to order.
I’m David Grosso, Chairman of the committee on Education. I’d like to recognize the presence of a quorum. We have two items on our agenda today.
First on the agenda is Bill 21-361, the Youth Suicide Prevention and School Climate Survey Amendment Act of 2015. This legislation was introduced by myself and Councilmembers Allen, McDuffie, Bonds, Cheh, Nadeau, May, Todd, Silverman, and Chairman Mendelson.
Last week, we watched the nation get caught up in the Powerball lottery pandemonium. Office pools were created. Jokes were made about the probability of being a winner. Some had genuine hope that maybe this would be their lucky day. Many of these actions and reactions are not unlike what D.C. parents go through in preparation for the MySchool D.C. common education lottery. The anticipation is palpable the night results are posted online. Parents across the city are feverishly refreshing their internet browsers with the high hopes that their child “matched” to the public school or public charter school of their choice. And in that moment, when the results are revealed as a parent you feel like a total winner or a total loser.
Good morning. The time is now 10:00 am and I am calling this joint hearing of the Committee on Education and the Committee of the Whole to order.
My name is Councilmember David Grosso, chairman of the Committee on Education. Today is January 21, 2016 and we are in Room 500 of the John A. Wilson Building. We are gathered today for a hearing on Bill 21-508, the “School Attendance Clarification Amendment Act of 2015.” I introduced this legislation along with Chairman Mendelson.
Over the past year, the interagency Truancy Taskforce has been meeting to discuss ways to better streamline our approach to truancy and boost overall student attendance. We’ve evaluated data, researched best practices, reviewed our current laws, policies, and practices for attendance, and are close to agreeing to a robust strategic plan in this area.
This legislation amends the District of Columbia’s compulsory school attendance laws to make changes based on the interagency lessons learned over the past two years.
In addition to clarifying agency responsibilities and attendance reporting requirements, this bill would require schools to obtain a written explanation verifying the reason for an absence within five days after a student’s return to school and prohibit the suspension, expulsion, or unenrollment of a minor covered by the District’s compulsory attendance requirement due to an unexcused absence or late arrival to school.
This legislation also takes steps to decriminalize school attendance by amending the protocol for law enforcement officers who come in contact with a minor they believe to be truant and amending educational institution’s referral requirement for CFSA, Court Social Services, and the Office of the Attorney General after a minor accrues a certain number of unexcused absences.
This builds upon emergency and temporary legislation the Council passed earlier this year to address the unintended consequences of the 80/20 attendance rule, which has accounted for young people being referred to CFSA and CSS for educational neglect when in reality they have just been tardy.
As I have said before, chronic absenteeism and chronic tardiness are inherently different. They generally have different causes and students are in need of different interventions. The key word here is intervention. We know from data that introducing students to the juvenile justice system for tardiness or absenteeism is not an effective intervention. We also know that suspending or expelling a student for not showing up to school is not particularly effective in getting them to change behavior and actually come to school more often.
Students need to attend school daily in order to succeed academically, and this legislation attempts to better align our laws with this belief. I admit that this legislation is not perfect. In my ideal world, we would be getting rid of referrals to Court Social Services altogether in favor of effective intervention and diversion programs that has the capacity to serve the volume of students in need of those services. But, I believe this legislation presents a strong step in the right direction.
I want to thank you all for being here today. I will now turn to my colleague who is co-chairing along with me for an opening statement.
For Immediate Release:
January 19, 2016
Contact:
Keenan Austin
(202) 724-8105
Grosso Introduces Bills to Expand Transparency in Government, Protect Student Privacy
Washington, D.C.— At today’s Committee of the Whole meeting of the D.C. Council, Councilmember David Grosso along with Councilmember Mary M. Cheh introduced the “Strengthening Transparency and Open Access to Government Amendment Act of 2016.” Grosso also introduced the “Protecting Students Digital Privacy 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.
Thank you Chairman Mendelson. Today, I am also introducing the “Protecting Students Digital Privacy Act of 2016.”
There are four main components to this legislation. First, this legislation requires that any contract or agreement between a local education agency and a student information system provider expressly authorize and require the provider to establish, implement, and maintain appropriate security measures to protect student data and personally identifiable student information and to comply with certain procedures with regard to accessing, analyzing, storing, or sharing that information.
Second, it limits an educational institution or a vendor that provides a technological device to a student for oversight or home use from accessing or tracking the device, and analyzing, selling, or sharing the activity or data, except in limited circumstances.
This bill also prohibits a school from requiring or coercing a student or prospective student to disclose the user name or password to a personal social media account, add school-based personnel to their list of contacts, or to change the settings that affect a third party’s ability to view the account.
Finally, this legislation would prohibit school employees from accessing or compelling a student to produce, display, share or provide access to, any data or other content stored upon, or accessible from a student’s personal technological device, even when the device is being carried or used in violation of a school’s policy, except for in limited circumstances.
There are some in the education space—schools and vendors alike—who have this notion that students leave their right to privacy at the schoolhouse door. That the only way to truly educate a young person is to have absolute control and constantly monitor their inputs and outputs. I simply don’t believe that to be the case.
Further, I do not believe that third party vendors or organizations providing technology or software to our schools should have unfettered access to sell, analyze, or share the data they receive from our students. This bill takes steps to put safeguards in place.
Now I must say, nothing in this legislation gives anyone a privacy right for online websites, accounts, or social media pages that are unsecured. It is not an invasion of privacy for an educational institution, a teacher, or anyone else to view material that has been voluntarily put on public display. And so even while I introduce this legislation today, I still want to advise the students who may be listening that discretion and a slow trigger finger remains wise.
I want to thank the ACLU for working with my office on this legislation. I look forward to a spirited debate on this issue. And I welcome any co-sponsors.