By Dana Rudolph on October 28, 2011
In a blow to activists seeking to stop anti-gay bullying, two proposals to address bullying in schools were left out of an education reform bill approved by a U.S. Senate committee October 20.
Posted in Congress, National Politics, Schools/youth
By Lisa Keen on October 26, 2011
The U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee will debate and vote on a bill to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on Wednesday, November 3. Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) announced the scheduling Tuesday, October 25.
Posted in Congress, Marriage/Relationships, National Politics
By Lisa Keen on August 2, 2011
The U.S. Senate gave final Congressional approval Tuesday to a bill raising the nation’s current $14.3 trillion debt ceiling by $2 trillion, but it’s a bill that calls for $2 trillion in federal spending cuts that worry LGBT and AIDS organizations.
Posted in Congress, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on July 20, 2011
U.S. Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.), a legendary civil rights activist, led off Wednesday’s historic hearing to discuss repealing the Defense of Marriage Act, likening it to laws decades ago that requires separate water fountains and restrooms for “whites” and “coloreds.”
Posted in Congress, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on July 19, 2011
The U.S. Senate Monday evening (July 18) approved the confirmation of openly gay attorney J. Paul Oetken to serve as a U.S. district court judge.
Posted in Congress, Issues, National Politics, News, Nominees
By Lisa Keen on July 14, 2011
There was a hint of trouble ahead for the nomination of lesbian attorney Alison Nathan to the U.S. District Court for Southern New York.
Posted in Campaigns, Congress, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, News, Nominees, Politics, Senate
By Lisa Keen on June 10, 2011
Lesbian judicial nominee Alison Nathan told the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday that, despite her relative youth and inexperience, she thinks she is well qualified to be a U.S. District Court judge.
Posted in Congress, Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 26, 2011
The U.S. House on Thursday, May 26, passed the House Armed Services Committee authorization bill that includes three amendments aimed at delaying implementation of the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and shoring up the impact of the Defense of Marriage Act.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 17, 2011
The Antideficiency Act is not the sort of federal law that an ordinary American would be familiar with. It applies to government officials who are in a position to spend government money. And it prohibits those officials from spending federal money unless Congress appropriates it to be spent.
Posted in Congress, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 12, 2011
The full U.S. House Armed Services Committee approved three amendments late Wednesday night that seek to delay implementation of repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and to reiterate Congress’s support for the Defense of Marriage Act.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on May 6, 2011
Hundreds of thousands of children are in foster care in the United States, while discrimination prevents millions of willing LGBT people from being able to foster or adopt. U.S. Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) reintroduced a bill that aims to fix that discrepancy.
Posted in Adoption, Congress, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 4, 2011
Before it left on spring recess, the U.S. House passed a budget for Fiscal Year 2012 that the president called “wrong for America” and that AIDS activists have said would do “irreparable harm.”
Posted in Congress, Health, Issues, Politics
By Lisa Keen on April 19, 2011
The U.S. House has obligated itself to pay more than $500,000 for outside attorneys to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in federal courts. And the House has chosen a firm which clearly prides itself on including LGBT lawyers among its staff.
Posted in Congress, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on April 15, 2011
Democrats came out swinging Friday, April 15, during a House subcommittee hearing on the Department of Justice announcement that it would curtail its defense of the federal ban on recognition of same-sex marriages.
Posted in Congress, Federal Courts, Issues, Law, Marriage/Relationships, News, Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on April 1, 2011
Pentagon officials told a House subcommittee Friday that training for implementation of repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” has gone “extremely well so far” and that certification to Congress might come by mid-summer.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on March 30, 2011
U.S. Rep. Barney Frank on Wednesday, March 30, announced he would soon re-introduce the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), characterizing it as “winnable.”
Posted in Congress, ENDA, Issues, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on March 22, 2011
It looked like a cake-walk: President Obama nominated openly gay attorney Paul Oetken to a federal district court bench in Manhattan two months ago, and just last week, he had a confirmation hearing.
Posted in Congress, Issues, National Politics, News, Nominees, Politics
By Lisa Keen on March 16, 2011
When U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) introduced the Respect for Marriage Act in 2009, he conceded there was little chance for passage in the 111th Congress. Clearly, something’s changed.
Posted in Congress, Issues, Marriage/Relationships, National Politics, News, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on March 11, 2011
The White House held a high-visibility conference on bullying prevention March 10, with the President and First Lady calling on parents, teachers, students, and communities to address the problem together.
Posted in Congress, Health, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics, White House
By Dana Rudolph on March 9, 2011
Members of Congress are introducing a flurry of bills this week designed to address bullying and harassment of students, including LGBT students, and timed to coincide with a major White House conference on bullying prevention March 10.
Posted in Congress, Health, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
Children with LGB parents: youthful perspectives on marriage
Federal appeals panel rules Prop 8 videos stay under seal
GOP gays and Florida back Romney
New HUD rule called ‘truly historic’
Religious bias cases at high court