Summersgill presents award to Jason Juffras

Distinguished Service Award to Jason Juffras

Presented by former GLAA President Bob Summersgill

GLAA 36th Anniversary Reception
Washington Plaza Hotel
Thursday, April 19, 2007


D.C. Council staffers don’t often get public recognition for their work. Credit almost always goes to their bosses. But we know.

It is of course the councilmembers, and not the staff that run for office and put forward a public face. Smart councilmembers find staff that will make them look good. The public credits councilmembers with all of the work that comes from their offices. But we know.

Tonight we are recognizing one of the council staff that most people don’t know. Jason Juffras has worked quietly for the past 10 years for former councilmember Kathy Patterson. He served as the Clerk of the Committee on the Judiciary and later the Committee on Education. Patterson was one of our best friends on the council and a former winner of this award. She was responsible for some of the most important legislative advancements for our community. Jason did most of the work but didn’t get recognized for his efforts. But we know.

One of the most important pieces of legislation passed by the Council in past decade created an independent Office of Human Rights. Prior to that, it was subsumed and gutted by the Office of Minority Business Development. The legislation allowed the Office of Human Rights to once again be able to grow under its own budget and leadership, rebuild expertise, and vigorously enforce the Human Rights Act, the strongest and broadest human rights law in the country. If it weren’t for this legislation, Kenneth Saunders wouldn’t be here tonight getting an award. Jason didn’t get credit for writing the bill. But we know.

In 1981, then GAA, was part of an effort to reform the D.C. criminal code and repeal a host of antiquated anti-sex laws. It wasn’t until 1993 that we were a! ble to reform the sodomy law. However, a number of anti-sex laws remained. We’d seen how these laws were used to justify discrimination and wanted to get rid of them completely. Jason wrote a couple of repeal bills for us. Although most people were unaware that this was happening, it was very important legislation fulfilling our goal from 1970s. Jason didn’t get credit for the bills. But we know.

In the 1980’s GLAA joined other groups in forging one of the first domestic partnership laws in the country. Since 2001, we’ve passed 11 bills to expand the rights and responsibilities of domestic partners. Jason has written four of them. One provided medical decision making. Another started the D.C. Government paying the same healthcare premiums for the domestic partners as they do for other family members of District government employees. Jason didn’t get any credit for these bills. But we know.

Now Jason works for Councilmember Mary Cheh as clerk of the Committee on Consumer and Regulatory Affairs. In his short time there, he’s already done important work for us that goes to Mary Cheh’s credit. But we know.

And now we all know. It is my pleasure to present the Distinguished Service Award to Jason Juffras.


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