²ÝÝ®´«Ã½

LOVE Act lets DC residents get married during shutdown

Romance is no longer dead in the nation’s capital, thanks to the LOVE Act. Starting Tuesday, D.C. residents will finally be able to get marriage licenses in the District for the first time since the federal government shutdown.

The and arranges for a justice of the peace to officiate weddings. But thanks to the shutdown, they have been furloughed and couples haven’t been able to officially get married.

On Oct. 7, the D.C. Council passed the , which gives Mayor Muriel Bowser the power to handle marriage licenses and authorize wedding officiants during the shutdown.

This proposed solution was included in both emergency legislation and temporary legislation (effective for 225 days), according to the D.C. Council.

This power is only for Bowser to use during the shutdown and is in effect for 90 days.

Bowser, who was given this power during the shutdown of 2019, signed the LOVE Act of 2025 bill into law on Oct. 9.

Get breaking news and daily headlines delivered to your email inbox by signing up here.

© 2025 ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½. All Rights Reserved. This website is not intended for users located within the European Economic Area.

Jimmy Alexander

Jimmy Alexander has been a part of the D.C. media scene as a reporter for DC ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ Now and a long-standing voice on the Jack Diamond Morning Show. Now, Alexander brings those years spent interviewing newsmakers like President Bill Clinton, Paul McCartney and Sean Connery, to the ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½room.

Federal ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ Network Logo
Log in to your ²ÝÝ®´«Ã½ account for notifications and alerts customized for you.