By Lisa Keen on July 14, 2010
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) is not on the agenda for Senate floor action for the next few weeks, prior to the August 9 recess. The Senate will take up work on as many as nine matters during the next month, but none of those are ENDA.
Posted in Congress, ENDA, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on July 7, 2010
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced new guidance to help LGBT people who encounter discrimination in housing. Two LGBT leaders familiar with housing issues say the move is “very significant” and “much needed.”
Posted in News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on July 1, 2010
The purpose of the small gathering at the Old Executive Office Building in Washington was two-fold: first, to give LGBT media a “snapshot” of what the Obama administration has done, and plans to do, on LGBT issues. And, second, nine LGBT reporters and political bloggers would get to ask a question.
Posted in News, Politics, White House
By Dana Rudolph on June 29, 2010
The immediate replacement for U.S. Senator Robert Byrd will most likely be chosen by the governor, not by a special election—and that is good news for the chances of repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on June 7, 2010
Republicans are reportedly scouring for filibuster votes against the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell repeal and are expected to focus their efforts on winning over Democrats Jim Webb of Virginia and Mark Pryor of Arkansas.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, News, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on June 3, 2010
President Barack Obama has for the second time issued a proclamation in honor of Pride Month. Only one other president—Bill Clinton—has ever done so. A comparison of their proclamations suggests there’s been some progress in LGBT civil rights between the two administrations, but also highlights areas of little or no change.
Posted in A Closer Look, News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on May 28, 2010
The U.S. House voted 234 to 194 Thursday night to approve a compromise amendment that many believe will—with some conditions—eventually lead to the end of the military’s policy of discharging gay servicemembers.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 27, 2010
The Murphy Amendment seeking repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy is slated to come up near the end of the House’s consideration this week of the annual defense authorization bill.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 26, 2010
A measure to repeal the 16-year-old federal law excluding openly gay people from the military started up the Congressional ladder this week—with a reluctant nod from the White House and a controversial rewrite.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, News, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on May 20, 2010
There’s a tug-of-war underway in the movement to pass more laws to address the growing problem of bullying, and it centers on whether such laws should “enumerate” bullying that targets LGBT youth.
Posted in Politics, State Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 19, 2010
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi reassured representatives of several LGBT organizations this week that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and a measure to repeal Don’t Ask Don’t Tell (DADT) will get votes this year.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, ENDA, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 14, 2010
Supporters of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) say they have the votes to pass the bill, they are just waiting for the Democratic leadership to call the bill to the floor. But the leadership has grown quiet.
Posted in Congress, ENDA, Issues, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 5, 2010
Wording is everything in politics. What is not said can sometimes be more important than what is said, and what is said can be subjected to a multitude of interpretations that transform a simple sentence into a powerful new expectation.
Such has been the case with this statement, made by President Barack Obama in January during his State of the Union speech: “This year, I will work with Congress and our military to finally repeal the law that denies gay Americans the right to serve the country.”
He did not say that he and Congress would “repeal the law this year.” He said he would work with Congress on it this year.
Posted in A Closer Look, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on April 27, 2010
When President Obama signed a memorandum this month, calling for an end to discrimination against gays and lesbians in hospital visitation policies, many unmarried LGBT people assumed that meant hospitals would no longer be able to bar them from being with their partners during a time of medical crisis.
But not all presidential memoranda are created equal: Some go into effect immediately; some require months of rule-making bureaucracy and are subject to public comment.
Posted in A Closer Look, National Politics, News, Politics, White House
By Dana Rudolph on April 22, 2010
From the beginning of the Obama administration, the general attitude of the LGBT people was that things would be better for the community than they were under the administration of President George W. Bush. But even from the beginning, there were signs that protections for LGBT youth might not be better and that “safe schools” might not be a priority for the Department of Education (DOE).
Posted in A Closer Look, National Politics, News, White House
By Lisa Keen on April 17, 2010
The confirmation hearing Friday, April 16, for a well-known liberal nominee to a federal appeals court deteriorated quickly into a political battlefield. Republicans seemed intent on settling old scores.
Posted in Congress, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, News, Nominees, Politics
By Lisa Keen on April 16, 2010
A mainstream news organization has published a story identifying as gay a prominent public official who has never identified as such. The subject of the story is U.S. Solicitor General Elena Kagan, reportedly one of President Obama’s leading contenders to fill the seat of retiring U.S. Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens.
Posted in News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on April 16, 2010
President Obama issued a surprise memorandum Thursday night, April 15, calling for an end to discrimination against LGBT people by hospital visitation policies that limit visitors to immediate family members.
Posted in News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on April 15, 2010
The White House has begun floating trial balloons for candidates President Obama might appoint to the U.S. Supreme Court to replace retiring Justice John Paul Stevens.
Posted in Federal Courts, Law, News, Politics, U.S. Supreme Court, White House
Gay issues continue to dominate as Senate committee recommends Kagan’s nomination
DADT trial opens to little notice
Two giant blows against DOMA
Movement to ban gay adoption: sacrificing the well-being of children