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
By Lisa Keen on March 7, 2011
Republican members of the U.S. Senate Judiciary Committee have been holding up the nomination of President Obama’s only openly gay nominee to a federal appeals bench.
Posted in Congress, Issues, National Politics, News, Nominees, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on January 20, 2011
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced proposed new regulations intended to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in its core housing programs–programs that impact 4.4 million units of housing in the country.
Posted in Congress, Issues, Misc, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on January 11, 2011
The 112th Congress went barreling into all-out partisan warfare, as expected, in its opening week, and then the unexpected took over. A man gunned down a member of Congress in broad daylight.
Posted in Congress, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on December 18, 2010
The U.S. Senate approved a bill Saturday, December 18, to repeal the 17-year-old law banning openly gay people from serving in the military. The roll call vote on the measure, which came to the Senate Wednesday from the House, was 65 to 31.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on December 15, 2010
The U.S. House of Representatives voted Wednesday afternoon to approve a measure to repeal Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the second time this year the House approved such a measure.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, News, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on December 14, 2010
Three weeks before the end of a session of Congress may seem an odd time to introduce any new bills, much less one dealing with always-contentious LGBT civil rights. But three representatives introduced a bill 12/8 that would better protect LGBT people from discrimination in housing.
Posted in Congress, Issues, Misc, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on December 9, 2010
Thu. Dec. 9 – 4:10 p.m.—The Senate has just rejected an attempt to bring the defense authorization bill to the floor, effectively killing the prospects for repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell this year, and likely for years to come. The vote was 57 to 40.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on December 8, 2010
All the focus was on Maine Republican Senator Susan Collins Wednesday, with the question being whether she could be persuaded to vote to end the Republican-led filibuster against the defense authorization bill.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on December 6, 2010
The second and final day of the Senate hearing on repealing “Don’t ask, don’t tell” has adjourned and the battle lines are still very much where they were at the beginning, with one exception.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on December 2, 2010
The Pentagon’s top four leaders stood their ground Thursday during the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing on the Defense Department’s report concerning Don’t Ask Don’t Tell repeal. But there was considerable pushback from Republicans on the committee—and not just John McCain.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Dana Rudolph on November 19, 2010
A national task force dedicated to suicide prevention among LGBT youth will be part of the new National Action Alliance for Suicide Prevention, a public-private partnership supported by the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services.
Posted in Congress, Health, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on November 17, 2010
A key supporter of repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is poised to deal the legislation a significant setback. Sen. Carl Levin, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a strong supporter of repeal, said he will hold hearings on the upcoming Pentagon study about implementation of repeal.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
By Lisa Keen on November 15, 2010
When Congress came back to begin its lame-duck session on Monday, it was suddenly hearing mixed messages from LGBT groups concerning repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.
Posted in Congress, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Issues, National Politics, News, Politics
Ginsburg on Roe: Is it a signal she’d curb a decision on marriage?
Leahy submits language to help bi-national same-sex couples
Delaware votes for marriage equality; becomes 11th state to make it the law
Rhode Island marriage law signed; Two more states could vote next week
Rhode Island marriage bill clears final hurdle with all Republicans