A second term offers a new opportunity to promote and protect human rights

On Monday, January 2, 2017, Councilmember Grosso was sworn-in to his second term on the Council of the District of Columbia.  Below is his swearing-in address, as delivered:

Fellow D.C. residents, thank you all very much for being here today. I’m extremely humbled by the opportunity to serve the people of the District of Columbia for another four years on the D.C. Council.  I want to thank my father-in-law, Dick Sippel, who swore me in today.

The right to freely choose our representatives, and thus the right to determine our own path and vision for our city, is not taken lightly by me or any of our residents – because it’s not too long ago that we remember we didn’t have that right.

The fact that voter turnout in the 2016 election was the highest in nearly two-and-a-half decades indicates that D.C. residents are more engaged in our democracy, in our governance, and in our quest for self-determination as the 51st State of the United States of America.

When I stood before you four years ago, we were in a very different position. Confidence in our local government was low and I vowed to help bring a new day to the District of Columbia, to engage our residents in our democracy, and to be transparent and ethical when exercising the duty of my office.

Today, the Council and indeed our city is in a better place than ever, and I will continue to fight for real change in D.C.

I am particularly proud of what we’ve done together.

We ensured that our children’s schools are funded according to need, not politics.

We lifted our workers’ wages and guaranteed they will not have to choose between taking care of their loved ones and paying their bills.

We have promoted the thriving arts and humanities communities and supported a creative economy that a world-class city such as ours deserves.

We have just begun reforming our criminal justice system in ways that center on treatment and prevention rather than solely on punishment.

And we’ve continued the upward trajectory of education reform. And in fact, the thing I’m most proud of accomplishing in the past four years is the passage of the ban on suspending or expelling three and four year olds in our schools. We have effectively in the District of Columbia eliminated the preschool to prison pipeline.

As chair of the Education Committee I want to especially thank and acknowledge the Mayor, Muriel Bowser for her selection of a new Chancellor. It’s going to help us lead the District of Columbia schools to a new place. Thank you Mayor Bowser.

I’m ready and willing to work together as we have done for the past two years since I’ve been the chair of the committee, to continue to address ways in which we can close the achievement gap, ensure appropriate wrap-around services, and put every student in the best position to succeed.

It is important to recognize that we enter this next Council Period under very different circumstances than the last time I stood before you.

The result of the national election reverberated in our city perhaps more than anywhere else in the nation. Many are scared and anxious as our future and the future of our laws are constantly at the whim of a Congress where we have no voting representation from our city, and many of its members have never set foot in our diverse neighborhoods.  

How we educate our children, address the needs of our workers, promote the health of our residents, maintain the integrity of our families, and even secure our right to a democratic form of government are, at this moment, very uncertain.

In the days after the 2016 election, I was reminded of the spirit and tenacity of our residents. In protest, our students walked out their classrooms in droves. In solidarity, they marched downtown.  With one voice, they declared that we will not be hostage to the hate and divisiveness of the incoming administration.

As the only true representatives of D.C. residents, we too must take up that call.  As elected leaders, we must be willing to stand up and speak with one voice against every provocation and threat to our self-governance and the vision we have for our great city. 

We must insist that the education of our children will be accountable to the people of the District of Columbia, not directed by those who disdain the value of public education.

We must declare that the War on Drugs was a grave injustice and continue our march toward criminal justice reform and the rolling back of policies that exacerbate racial inequities.

We must protect and respect the rights of women and girls and our LGBTQ community.

We must embrace that we are a sanctuary city and that we will protect families and communities from being torn apart by immigration policies rooted in fear and bigotry.

We must declare that we will not tolerate aggressions, guised in patriotism and security, against our Muslim brothers and sisters. 

And we must, we must declare that we are the 51st state and demand full participation in our democratic institutions.

On these issues, on all of these issues there can be no compromise if we are to protect and expand the progress we have made in the District of Columbia.

Everything needed to achieve a shared vision of an even brighter future for our city – improving our schools, reforming our criminal justice system, providing more affordable housing, expanding economic opportunities, empowering individual voters over all the special interests, promoting the arts and humanities– all of this is rooted in a basic respect for the human rights.

Now is, in fact, the time to deepen our efforts to protect the human rights of all of our residents.

In that task, I am extremely grateful to be surrounded in my office by an amazing and talented team who work tirelessly to make this vision a reality. Their dedication to public service, and all of the staff in the Council building, is admirable and I would not have accomplished nearly as much as I did without them, and I can’t hope to even come close to achieving the agenda set for the next four years without such a great staff.

But most of all, I want to thank the people of the District of Columbia. I want to thank all of you.  Thank you for placing your trust in me and for the opportunity to serve as an At-Large Councilmember for another four years.

Protecting our human rights cannot be done alone.  It must be the charge of all of our elected leaders and all of our residents. We must fight for each other. We must work for the most vulnerable among us. We must lift each other up. And we must love one another.

Thank you very much.

Council gives final approval to universal paid leave for D.C. workers

For Immediate Release: 
December 20, 2016
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, (202) 724-8105

Council gives final approval to universal paid leave for D.C. workers

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Council of the District of Columbia gave final approval to the Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2015 which provides up to eight weeks of paid leave to workers in D.C.

“Today, the District of Columbia fundamentally changed how it treats workers,” Grosso, who co-introduced the bill in October 2015, said.  “Recognizing that our workers have responsibilities outside of their employment, the Council has voted to relieve them of the difficult choice between a paycheck and caring for a loved one.”

The bill provides employees who have a child through birth, adoption, foster care or other legal placement will be eligible for up to eight weeks of paid leave.  It also provides up to six weeks of paid leave to D.C. workers to care for a family member experiencing a serious health condition, and up to two weeks for a personal serious health condition.

“Paid leave provides financial stability to workers while allowing them to care for ailing family members. Parents who take leave after the arrival of a new child would return to work in better general health. More women would participate in the work place. Infant mortality would decline,” Grosso said.

Workers will be able to receive up to 90 percent of their wages in those periods, capped at $1,000 per week.  Federal and local government employees will not be eligible for the benefits.

“The bill is also good for all businesses,” Grosso added. “They will now have a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining highly qualified employees with a progressive benefit that they can offer to all their workers at a fraction of the cost of providing it themselves. All this while continuing the upward trajectory of D.C.’s thriving economy.”

“I want to thank Chairman Phil Mendelson and his staff for his tireless work to hone our bill into something that won such overwhelming approval today.” Grosso said. “I also greatly appreciate the partnership of Councilmember Elissa Silverman and the advocacy efforts of the D.C. Paid Leave Coalition, the National Partnership for Women and Families, Family Values @ Work, and others in articulating the need for paid family leave in the District of Columbia.  We would not be where we are today without all of their incredible work.”

The bill now goes to Mayor Muriel Bowser for her approval.

“Over 80 percent of D.C. residents support this legislation.  I urge the mayor to stand with the workers and families of D.C. and sign the bill.”

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Grosso to present ceremonial resolution to recognize International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers

Tomorrow, December 17, community members will hold a vigil in Northwest D.C. to commemorate the International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers. Cities and towns around the world will be marking this event, which started in 2003, when sex workers, family members and allies gathered for the sentencing of Gary Ridgeway, the so-called Green River Killer. Ridgeway confessed to murdering over 70 women in Washington, many of them sex workers. He said of his victims: “I picked prostitutes because I thought I could kill as many of them as I wanted without getting caught.”

Behind Ridgeway’s abhorrent statement is a recognition of a social attitudes that are widespread: that sex workers, people who trade sexual services for money or other things of value, are immoral criminals, who choose to put themselves in harm’s way, and deserve what they get. Indeed, even here in D.C., which generally strives to value the most vulnerable, sex workers have recounted their negative experiences reporting violence to the police. “They think you are the person doing the crime,” a sex worker told researchers in 2007 for the Move Along report, describing how police responded when he asked them for help. Another community member said of police and community reactions when a person suspected of being a sex worker is hurt or murdered: “They was out there tricking, so they were asking for it.” This research found that in D.C. when sex workers (or those assumed to be such) asked the police for help after being targeted for violence or other crimes, they only had a 50% chance of receiving a positive reaction from law enforcement.

Such challenges continue to this day, as recently reported in the Washington Post. The International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers is an effort to combat the stigma and discrimination facing people who deserve to have their human rights respected, no matter how they earn money. It is particularly a challenge for already marginalized communities, like transgender women of color, who are both more likely to engage in commercial sex and more likely to be profiled as such, according to another study, Access Denied, published by the D.C. Trans Coalition in 2015. More than half of transgender women of color respondents had engaged in trading sex for money, and they disproportionately reported experiencing physical and sexual assault.

To lend support to this movement to end violence and stigma against sex workers, the D.C. Council on December 6 passed the “International Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers Recognition Resolution.” Councilmember Grosso will present this resolution on behalf of the Council on December 17 at the D.C. event. It continues Grosso’s commitment to advancing  human rights, including his support for Amnesty International’s call last year to decriminalize sex work in order to promote human rights and end violence. 

12052016 Intl Day to End Violence Against Sex Workers CR by Team_Grosso on Scribd

Council to take second vote on universal paid leave next week

Last week, the Council stepped up for D.C. working families by advancing paid family leave on its first vote.  I was proud to introduce that legislation along with Councilmember Silverman last year and thankful for the work of Chairman Mendelson to get it to where it is now.

Paid leave is good for workers and businesses. It provides financial stability to workers while allowing them to care for ailing family members. Parents who take leave after the arrival of a new child would return to work in better general health. More women would participate in the work place. Infant mortality would decline. Businesses would have a new benefit to offer that makes them more competitive and able to attract better workers. The list goes on. All this while continuing the upward trajectory of the District’s thriving economy, according to the Council’s budget office.

The legislation that we have advanced is the best option to bring paid family leave to the District of Columbia.

It’s true these benefits will be extended to all those who work in the District of Columbia, but that does not detract from D.C. residents’ eligibility for the program.

Some critics have called for a system that only provides benefits to District residents, where the annual pay outs to beneficiaries would be smaller. 

However, the cost per employee would be higher due to fixed set-up and administrative costs. The fund that provides the payout would also be less stable since it would have a smaller pool.

Worst of all, it would harm D.C. residents by creating a perverse incentive for D.C. businesses to hire Virginia and Maryland residents over District-based workers in order to avoid paying into the fund.

All of our workplace laws protect and provide benefits based on where people work, not live.  The minimum wage increase, which was championed by the mayor and unanimously passed by the Council earlier this year, goes to workers regardless of where they live.  It sends over $313 million into neighboring jurisdictions annually, though it benefits far fewer people then paid leave and is far more than the total $242 million in annual benefits that paid leave would offer to ALL D.C. workers.  We supported it anyways because it was the right thing to do for our workers who needed it most. 

Many people who work here, don’t live in this city.  Our lack of statehood disadvantages us as policymakers when trying to raise revenue from them.  But that has never stopped us from doing the right thing for our workers and our residents.

We recognize that the working families of D.C. can’t wait for the injustice of our second-class status to be righted before relieving them of having to make the difficult choice between a paycheck and caring for a loved one.  That’s why eleven members of the Council voted yes on paid leave.

So call, email, and tweet your Councilmembers THANKS for supporting paid leave last week!  You can find all their information here by visiting www.dccouncil.us/council. 

Council advances universal paid leave for D.C. workers

For Immediate Release: 
December 6, 2016
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, (202) 724-8105
mnocella@dccouncil.us

Council advances universal paid leave for D.C. workers

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Council of the District of Columbia passed out of the Committee of the Whole the Universal Paid Leave Amendment Act of 2015 which provides up to eight weeks of paid leave to workers in D.C.

“Today is a victory for D.C. workers,” Grosso, who co-introduced the bill in October 2015, said.  “No longer will they need to risk financial ruin to address serious medical conditions or care for a newborn baby or other loved one.”

Under the legislation, employees who have a child through birth, adoption, foster care or other legal placement will be eligible for up to eight weeks of paid leave.  It would also provide up to six weeks of paid leave to D.C. workers to care for a family member experiencing a serious health condition, and up to two weeks for a personal serious health condition.

Workers will be able to receive up to 90 percent of their wages in those periods, capped at $1,000 per week.  Federal and local government employees will not be eligible for the benefits.

“We will also give our local businesses the ability to offer a progressive benefit to all of their employees,” Grosso added. “They will now have a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining highly qualified employees.

“This is good for society. As a country we lag behind the rest of the world on family leave, but as a city we will be a leader.  Our success will provide further evidence of its benefits to jurisdictions across the country.”

“I want to thank Chairman Phil Mendelson for his commitment to bringing this bill up for consideration before the end of the year and the work he and his staff have done to make that possible,” Grosso said. “I also greatly appreciate the partnerships of Councilmember Elissa Silverman, the D.C. Paid Leave Coalition, the National Partnership for Women and Families, Family Values @ Work, and the many other advocates working on this measure.”

The bill is likely to pass a vote later today and then a second vote at the final legislative meeting of the Council on Dec. 20 before going to Mayor Muriel Bowser for her signature.

“I hope the Mayor will provide our workers and businesses the vast benefits this bill offers and support paid leave with her signature.”

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Revised paid leave bill would be nation’s most expansive

For Immediate Release: 
November 28, 2016
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, (202) 724-8105
mnocella@dccouncil.us

Revised paid leave bill would be nation’s most expansive

Washington, D.C. – Today, Council Chairman Phil Mendelson released details of a revised version of the Universal Paid Leave Act of 2015, which Councilmember David Grosso introduced along with Councilmember Silverman in October of 2015.

“I introduced the Universal Paid Leave Act over a year ago to support D.C. workers and families, while giving our local businesses a competitive advantage in attracting and retaining highly qualified employees," Grosso said. "Today’s revised version holds true to those principles. I look forward to voting in support of the bill when it comes before the full Council next Tuesday.”

Under the revised legislation, employees who have a child through birth, adoption, foster care or other legal placement will be eligible for 11 weeks of paid leave.  It would also provide 8 weeks of paid leave to D.C. workers to care for a family member experiencing a personal serious health condition.

“Even revised, this legislation offers the most expansive paid leave benefit in the country,” Grosso said.  “It puts workers in a better position to care for their families while providing a benefit that is not available anywhere else. That is something we should be very proud to vote for.”

The bill’s definition of family and major events are inclusive of the diversity of D.C.’s workers and families, including low-income workers, single-parent households, caregiving for non-child family members, lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, and more.

The program will be funded through an employer-paid payroll tax of just 0.62%.

“I want to thank Chairman Mendelson for his commitment to bringing this bill up for consideration before the end of the year and everything he and his staff have done to make that possible,” Grosso said. “I also greatly appreciate the efforts of Councilmember Silverman, the D.C. Paid Leave Coalition, the National Partnership for Women and Families, Family Values @ Work, and the many other advocates working on this measure.

“It is time for the Council to finally act on this legislation and I urge my colleagues to support it next Tuesday.”

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Grosso urges President Obama to grant clemency to D.C. offenders

For Immediate Release: 

November 23, 2016
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, (202) 724-8105
mnocella@dccouncil.us

Grosso urges President Obama to grant clemency to D.C. offenders

Washington, D.C. – Councilmember David Grosso sent a letter today to the President of the United States asking him to grant clemency to individuals who fit the requirements of his broad clemency initiatives that have been convicted of offenses under the D.C. Code. The following is his statement:

“President Obama deserves praise for the impressive work he’s done to combat the harms perpetrated as part of the inequitable War on Drugs by providing a second chance to over 1,000 non-violent drug offenders.

“In the spirit of Thanksgiving, I sent a letter urging him to take D.C. Code offenders into special consideration in his final two months before an administration takes over that is unlikely to continue such an initiative.   

“As president of the United States, he is uniquely situated as the sole source of relief for those convicted of such crimes under the local laws of the District of Columbia.  Due to D.C.’s continued second-class status, our mayor has no such authority similar to chief executives in other jurisdictions.  D.C. has made progress recently to end ill-informed policies that put too many people in prison.  However, we are unable to repair the damage they have already done.

“My staff and I stand ready to assist in this effort and further this cause in any way we can.  I will continue to look for ways to reform the criminal justice system in the District of Columbia as I enter my second term representing all residents on the Council.”

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Grosso Letter to President Obama on Clemency by Team_Grosso on Scribd

Grosso sends letter opposing installation of surveillance cameras in the Wilson Building

On Friday, November 18, 2016, Councilmember Grosso wrote a letter to Council Chairman Phil Mendelson and Secretary to the Council Nyasha Smith opposing the recent actions taken to install surveillance cameras in the Wilson Building outside of offices of councilmembers.

Apart from being mere security theater with no safety benefits for councilmembers, staff or visitors, the cameras have a chilling effect on constituents' willingness to engage with their elected representatives.

Read the full letter below:

11182016 Letter to Chairman and Secretary - Cameras by Team_Grosso on Scribd

New structure for D.C. school athletics moves forward

For Immediate Release: 
November 15, 2016
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, (202) 724-8105
mnocella@dccouncil.us

New structure for D.C. school athletics moves forward

Washington, D.C. – Today, the Council of the District of Columbia preliminarily approved Councilmember David Grosso’s proposal to create a governing state association for interscholastic athletics that address issues plaguing the current structure.  The following is his statement on the proposal:

“Interscholastic athletics in the District of Columbia are desperately in need of reform.  During my tenure as chairperson of the Committee on Education it has become clear that problems persist that affect operations, governance, and enforcement. Solving these woes is necessary to restore confidence and accountability in school sports.

“The major issue facing our current system is a lack of structure for consistently enforcing rules and regulations that is easily understood by the public.  The roots of this problem stem from imprecise regulations further complicated by a piecemeal approach to governance.

 “The bill establishes the DCSAA as a quasi-independent agency that will act as the governing body.  OSSE will remain the regulatory authority for athletics.

“It creates a 15-person Commission, including mayor-appointed parents and members from the various types of schools, as well as non-voting ex-officio members from related agencies.  The Commission will have ultimate control over DCSAA and its staff and the authority to set and enforce membership standards that are consistent with D.C. laws and OSSE regulations.

“Additionally, the Commission will establish Athletics Appeals Panels, consisting of three voting members from the commission, who will hear appeals from member leagues or schools.

“For example, if a DCPS student has an eligibility dispute at their school the DCIAA will hear the matter and issue a ruling.  If the student wants to appeal the decision, they can bring it to an Athletic Appeals Panel who will review DCIAA’s decision on its merits without doing any further fact-finding.  The Athletics Appeals Panel will then issue a final decision that will be enforced by the Commission. 

 “A lot of time and effort went into thoughtfully crafting this bill.  I would like to thank those who engaged with me and my staff to give us insight into their experiences with interscholastic athletics, especially our agency partners at OSSE, DCPS, the PCSB, and other charter LEAs for participating in working groups about the current regulations. I look forward to final passage at the next legislative meeting of the Council.”

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Grosso wins re-election, recommits to fighting for D.C. residents

For Immediate Release: 
November 9, 2016
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, (202) 724-8105
mnocella@dccouncil.us

Grosso wins re-election, recommits to fighting for D.C. residents

Washington, D.C – Last night, At-Large Councilmember David Grosso was re-elected to a second four year term on the Council of the District of Columbia.  The following is his statement:

“I am eternally grateful to the voters for returning me to office for another four year term last night.  It is truly an honor to serve every resident of the District of Columbia on the Council.

“Now is the time to deepen our efforts to build a better city.  My priority has always been to expand the human rights of all our residents.  Everything we need to do – improving our schools, reforming our criminal justice system, providing more affordable housing, expanding economic opportunities – is rooted in a basic respect for the rights and dignity of each person.

“This will not be accomplished alone.  It will be the charge of all our elected leaders and every resident. I have always believed that the greatest strength of this city is our people’s fierce embrace of its diversity.  We must recommit to that strength today. We must fight for each other. We must work for the most vulnerable among us. We must lift each other up. We must love one another.

“Thank you again.  I and my staff stand ready to serve you.”

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Grosso requests funding to establish tax and regulate system for marijuana

Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large), along with Councilmember Brianne Nadeau (D-Ward 1), today urged Mayor Muriel Bowser to release funds from the Contingency Reserve to allow the District of Columbia to move forward with creating a system for the taxation and regulation of marijuana.

Here is the full letter:

Letter to Mayor Bowser on Marijuana Regulation and Taxation by Team_Grosso on Scribd

Grosso Statement on Support for Death with Dignity Act

For Immediate Release: 
October 5, 2016
 
Contact:
Matthew Nocella, (202) 724-8105
mnocella@dccouncil.us

Washington, D.C. – Today, Councilmember David Grosso (I-At Large) released the following statement following his vote in the Committee on Health and Human Services to advance Bill 21-38, the Death with Dignity Act of 2016:

“Bill 21-38, the “Death with Dignity Act of 2016”, is one of the more difficult pieces of legislation I have had to contend with in my time on the Council. It deals with very complex and emotional issues, and the stakes are life and death.  At the very heart of the issue is balancing the personal rights of adults with the government interest in protecting vulnerable individuals.  Ultimately, my guiding principles to respect an individual’s rights to make their own decisions and to rely on the best available data when making decisions led me to support this legislation today.

“It was not a decision I came to lightly. I met extensively with many different people and organizations with varied opinions on it over the past two months:  The Arc, D.C. Center for Independent Living, National Council on Independent Living, and other disability rights advocates; Compassion and Choices, the Secular Coalition for America and other advocates for the bill; doctors, nurses, and medical ethicists; D.C. residents struggling with terminal disease and wishing to have physician assistance in death; and many more. I have also heard from countless constituents on both sides of the issue.  These advocates are very passionate, and I appreciate their consistent engagement to provide the Council with multiple perspectives that helped us examine this issue from every angle.

“I would prefer the government not be involved at all with this issue.  A matter this personal should be considered thoughtfully between an individual, their family and friends, and their doctor. 

“However, part of why this issue is so contentious is because of fears about coercion, and the duty of the government to protect the vulnerable. I am apprehensive about this bill because I know the reality that many members of our community do not have equitable access to healthcare, and are viewed as inherently less valuable by our society. I take very seriously the concerns of people with disabilities who worry that this legislation will be used to coerce individuals into ending their lives prematurely.

“The devil is in the details, and we must fully consider them and take great care in enacting and implementing this bill.  I would like to know how this bill would envision an investigation into an instance of possible coercion. I would like to know how this bill ensures that no one in the District of Columbia will be told by their insurance that an experimental treatment is too expensive, but that Death with Dignity is affordable and a better option. And I would like to know what we will do as a Council if we pass this legislation to send a clear message that no matter the challenges an individual might face in life, no matter the illness or disabilities they may face, that this is the only life we get and we should live it to the fullest, even in circumstances that are challenging, unpleasant, and unfamiliar.

“To some it may seem to go against a lot of the work I have done trying to prevent suicide since the residents of the District of Columbia elected me to serve on the Council.  Just last fall, we passed a bill I wrote that seeks to address suicide and mental health among young people. 

“I remain dedicated to continue that work.

“Yet, as a matter of basic principle, I believe that adults should be able to make choices about their own lives and bodies. It is hard for me to imagine telling a person in the final months of their life that they must continue to fight if they desire to end things on their own terms.

“Equally important to me is to base legislative decisions on data. The data from other states have not shown that similar laws have targeted vulnerable communities.  To the contrary, in Oregon, where this has been law for 20 years, those taking the covered medication are more likely to be economically and educationally privileged.  There have also been no substantiated cases of coercion.

“So today, I voted in favor of advancing this bill. However, my work does not end here.  I will continue to discuss this legislation and potential amendments with Councilmember Alexander, Councilmember Cheh, and our other colleagues. I also want to reiterate my commitment to fight for the rights of people with disabilities and the elderly, and that my work on issues of mental health and suicide prevention will continue.

“In the event that the Council passes this bill, I will keep a close eye on its implementation and if there are problems I will be the first to propose changes.

“I would like to thank all of the advocates and community members who have met with me, reached out to me, and engaged in the process, because your participation in this debate is critical and will continue to be invaluable as this legislation moves forward.”

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Grosso writes to Board of Elections about voter registration problem

Over the weekend, Councilmember Grosso heard from a long time resident, who has been voting in D.C. elections since 1964, that she received a notice of no longer being registered to vote from the D.C. Board of Elections. Subsequently, other residents also reached out with the same problem. After looking into it, Grosso found the agency's response inadequate and wrote to the Board today to ask that they address the issue immediately, as early voting for the 2016 election starts next month. See the letter below, followed by an example of what residents received--and the registration card that shows a birthdate in 1800, which is the source of the problem.

Update: Less than a day later, the Board of Elections responded to Councilmember Grosso's letter saying they will be sending a clarifying mailer to voters affected by the original confusing notice.  You can see their response below. 

DC Board of Elections Response to Councilmember David Grosso by Team_Grosso on Scribd

Grosso Letter on Voter Registration by Team_Grosso on Scribd