The first bill I ever worked on was the Manpower Development and Training Act of 1962 and I continued working on Federal legislation until I retired 30 years later – so would you blame me if I tell you that I  considered myself an expert in legislation when I came to work for Tommy Wells in 2007.

But boy was I was wrong. I may have been an expert in Federal legislation but legislation in the District of Columbia is completely different. The United States Senate works one way; the House of Representatives another; and the process in the D.C. Council has nothing in common with either Federal body. So I had to go back to school to learn the process and style -- elementary school at that.

To start over, I first had to read the basic text – the Rules of the Council  -- and learn how a bill is introduced at Council; what has to be contained in a committee report; what is a first reading of a bill and when does it require a second or a third reading; what notice must be given for a hearing and what is the difference between a public hearing and a public roundtable. For anyone who wants and needs to learn these things, the Council’s General Counsel provides great study aids and also gives a short course for neophytes at Council.

Some of this stuff may seem dull, but if you don’t understand the rules and the process, you can’t get legislation passed here at Council. I am happy to say that I can still pass the first grade and I hope that I will be able to help Tommy pass a lot of legislation that will improve the lives of the citizens of DC.