Councilmember David A. Catania - Catania Offers Speedy Hearing; Nationals First Pitch Voting Rights Measures

"Thank you for visiting my on-line office. Here you will find information about a number of my initiatives that are important to the people of the District of Columbia. I hope you find this information helpful, and please let me know if I can be of assistance to you."

January 6, 2009
08:11 pm
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Catania Offers Speedy Hearing; Nationals First Pitch Voting Rights Measures

At the March 15, 2005 meeting of the full D.C. Council, At-Large Councilmember David Catania introduced legislation that would promise prompt consideration of matters before administrative law judges and the Contract Appeals Board. Absent timely consideration of these cases, individuals are denied the opportunity to appeal those bodies' decisions.

When a person feels wronged by a government agency's decision regarding benefits such as unemployment insurance, workers compensation, or disability payments, they may take their request to an administrative law judge. These bodies are often burdened with an overwhelming number of cases and therefore many matters are unduly delayed.

Catania said, "These individuals deserve timely consideration of their complaints. Until a decision is made, they remain in limbo, denied benefits and denied the opportunity to appeal."

Catania also introduced a Sense of the Council Resolution supported by a majority of the Council that calls on the Mayor and Major League Baseball to invite an advocate of D.C. Voting Rights to throw out the ceremonial first pitch at the Washington Nationals' inaugural regular season home game on April 14, 2005. That measure also encouraged the team to place a patch on uniforms that signifies the District's lack of voting representation in the U.S. Congress.

For more information, please contact the Office of Councilmember David Catania by calling 202-724-7772.