Changes

'''Washington, D.C.''', also known as the '''District of Columbia''', since 1800 has been the capital of the [[United States]]. <ref>http://www.senate.gov/reference/reference_item/Nine_Capitals_of_the_United_States.htm</ref>

'''Washington, D.C.''', also known as the '''District of Columbia''', since 1800 has been the capital of the [[United States]].<ref>http://www.senate.gov/reference/reference_item/Nine_Capitals_of_the_United_States.htm</ref>

Legally the name of the city is "District of Columbia". <ref> [http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=016/llsl016.db&recNum=0454 District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871.] [[Library of Congress]] </ref> <ref> [http://countystation.com/washingtondc.html District of Columbia Information.] </ref>

Legally the name of the city is "District of Columbia".<ref>[http://memory.loc.gov/cgi-bin/ampage?collId=llsl&fileName=016/llsl016.db&recNum=0454 District of Columbia Organic Act of 1871.] [[Library of Congress]]</ref><ref> [http://countystation.com/washingtondc.html District of Columbia Information.]</ref>

[[File:DC2.jpg|thumb|400px]]

[[File:DC2.jpg|thumb|400px]]

==Design==

==Design==

====Federal====

====Federal====

*Rep. [[Eleanor Norton]] [D, DC-0] <ref>[http://www.myjournalcourier.com/articles/state_21548___article.html/alas_columbia.html Alas, D.C. is not a state] The capital has an elected House representative, Eleanor Norton, but she can only vote in committee, not on the floor.</ref>

*Rep. [[Eleanor Norton]] [D, DC-0]<ref>[http://www.myjournalcourier.com/articles/state_21548___article.html/alas_columbia.html Alas, D.C. is not a state] The capital has an elected House representative, Eleanor Norton, but she can only vote in committee, not on the floor.</ref>

===Constitutional and legal disputes===

===Constitutional and legal disputes===

On March 9, 2007, the [[United States Court of Appeals]] for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down Washington, D.C.'s ban on private [[handgun]] possession, as it pertains to carrying them inside one's own home, on the grounds that the [[Second Amendment]] guarantees the right of individual citizens to keep and bear firearms.<ref name="Parker">''See Parker v. District of Columbia'', 478 F. 3d 370 (2007) [quoted in ''District of Columbia v. Heller'', 554 U.S. ____ (2008).]</ref>  In a dissent, however, one judge wrote that the District of Columbia is not a [[state]] and therefore the [[Second Amendment]] does not apply within the District of Columbia. Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban was one of the most restrictive [[gun control]] laws in the nation.<ref>http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2007-03-09T223851Z_01_N09246717_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-GUNS-RULING.xml&src=rss</ref>  On June 26, 2008, the [[Supreme Court]] affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeals.<ref name="Heller">''District of Columbia v. Heller'' [http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/07-290.pdf]</ref>

On March 9, 2007, the [[United States Court of Appeals]] for the District of Columbia Circuit struck down Washington, D.C.'s ban on private [[handgun]] possession, as it pertains to carrying them inside one's own home, on the grounds that the [[Second Amendment]] guarantees the right of individual citizens to keep and bear firearms.<ref name="Parker">''See Parker v. District of Columbia'', 478 F. 3d 370 (2007) [quoted in ''District of Columbia v. Heller'', 554 U.S. ____ (2008).]</ref>  In a dissent, however, one judge wrote that the District of Columbia is not a [[state]] and therefore the [[Second Amendment]] does not apply within the District of Columbia. Washington, D.C.'s handgun ban was one of the most restrictive [[gun control]] laws in the nation.<ref>http://today.reuters.com/news/articlenews.aspx?type=topNews&storyid=2007-03-09T223851Z_01_N09246717_RTRUKOC_0_US-USA-GUNS-RULING.xml&src=rss</ref>  On June 26, 2008, the [[Supreme Court]] affirmed the decision of the Court of Appeals.<ref name="Heller">''District of Columbia v. Heller'' [http://www.supremecourtus.gov/opinions/07pdf/07-290.pdf]</ref>

[[Image:Washington Monument and WWII memorial.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The WWII memorial and Washington Monument]]  

[[Image:Washington Monument and WWII memorial.jpg|right|thumb|200px|The WWII memorial and Washington Monument]]  

License plates in Washington, D.C. read "taxation without representation," referring to the fact that citizens of the District pay federal income taxes but do not have voting representation in either the [[United States Senate|Senate]] or [[House of Representatives]]. The capital has an elected House representative, Eleanor Norton, but she can only vote in committee, not on the floor. <ref>[http://www.myjournalcourier.com/articles/state_21548___article.html/alas_columbia.html Alas, D.C. is not a state]</ref> <ref>http://dmv.dc.gov/serv/plates/tax.shtm</ref>  These plates do not appear on the presidential limousines. [[George W. Bush|George Walker Bush]] had the plates removed from the limousines after his inauguration, reversing [[Bill_Clinton|William Jefferson Clinton's]] policy. <ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E0DB173CF93AA25752C0A9679C8B63</ref>  

License plates in Washington, D.C. read "taxation without representation," referring to the fact that citizens of the District pay federal income taxes but do not have voting representation in either the [[United States Senate|Senate]] or [[House of Representatives]]. The capital has an elected House representative, Eleanor Norton, but she can only vote in committee, not on the floor.<ref>[http://www.myjournalcourier.com/articles/state_21548___article.html/alas_columbia.html Alas, D.C. is not a state]</ref><ref>http://dmv.dc.gov/serv/plates/tax.shtm</ref>  These plates do not appear on the presidential limousines. [[George W. Bush|George Walker Bush]] had the plates removed from the limousines after his inauguration, reversing [[Bill_Clinton|William Jefferson Clinton's]] policy.<ref>http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html?res=9C06E0DB173CF93AA25752C0A9679C8B63</ref>  

Since 1992, Washington, D.C. has offered [[domestic partnership]]s, which are similar to [[same sex marriage]].<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/domestic-partnership-in-the-united-states Answers.com]</ref>

Since 1992, Washington, D.C. has offered [[domestic partnership]]s, which are similar to [[same sex marriage]].<ref>[http://www.answers.com/topic/domestic-partnership-in-the-united-states Answers.com]</ref>

==References==

==References==

<references/>

<references/>

[[Category:United States Cities and Towns]]

[[Category:United States Cities and Towns]]

[[Category:Urban History]]

[[Category:Urban History]]

[[Category:DC]]

[[Category:DC]]