The Stein Club testified in favor of the bill during the hearings held in the summer and subsequently passed its 2005-2006 political platform making the establishment of the Office of GLBT Affairs an
integral part of the Stein Club's priorities and a main criteria in our endorsement process.

The legislation enjoyed wide support within DC's gay and lesbian community and won easy committee approval, and was placed on the Council's consent calendar, which is reserved for non-controversial
bills. To the surprise of many, Councilmember Jack Evans took the bill off the consent calendar and moved to table it. Councilmembers Phil Mendelson, Jack Evans, Kathy Patterson, David Catania, Sharon Ambrose, Linda Cropp, Vincent Gray, and Carol Schwartz voted to table the bill. Councilmembers Jim Graham, Adrian Fenty, Kwame Brown, and Vincent Orange voted not to table the bill. Councilmember Marion Barry Jr. was not present for the vote.

The Stein Club believes that the City Council's decision fundamentally impedes progress for the District's diverse GLBT community, and is very disappointed by the message this decision sends to not only the GLBT community but to all District residents. The message is that the GLBT community should no longer have high-level representation within the District government and direct participation in the decision-making process that establishes key public policies that impact our community on a daily basis.

The establishment of the Office of GLBT Affairs is precisely intended to move away from the notion that it was about a single individual considered a special assistant to the Mayor. It is the necessary
step to achieve greater integration of the GLBT community in the design and monitoring of public policies affecting the well being of the community. The City Council missed an opportunity to achieve
this level of representation and participation for the GLBT community. However, the City Council has now a new opportunity to reconsider this decision and work to ensure greater equality for GLBT
individuals in the District and send a new message of strengthened GLBT representation within our government.

Stein Club President, David Meadows, said: "Although delayed by Councilmember Evans' motion to table the legislation, after speaking with several councilmembers, there is still a strong possibility of
having the bill revisited and passed in the early December Committee of the Whole."

The Stein Club remains committed to publicly supporting and endorsing elected officials who have shown the courage and leadership to support our issues and ensure that the GLBT community is fairly
represented within the District Government.

The Stein Club recognizes and celebrates the fact that we have openly gay members in the City Council and the District Office of the Attorney General. This is a great accomplishment for these
individuals and our community. However, the fact that these individuals are not permanent, and can resign or lose election, clearly suggests that the long-term interest of the GLBT community
can only be enhanced by creating a permanent office by legislative stature with ongoing presence and involvement in policy development.