By Lisa Keen on May 8, 2013
As expected, U.S. Senator Patrick Leahy introduced amendments Tuesday (May 7) to enable gay citizens to sponsor their “permanent” same-sex partners for immigration, under the proposed comprehensive immigration reform legislation.
Posted in Congress, Immigration, National Politics
By Lisa Keen on April 30, 2013
President Obama expressed his support for the decision by professional basketball player Jason Collins to come out this week in an interview with Sports Illustrated.
Posted in National Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on February 28, 2013
In a major victory for Democrats, the U.S. House voted Thursday to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
Posted in Congress, Health, National Politics
By Lisa Keen on February 13, 2013
President Obama continued his trend of including references to LGBT people in his State of the Union address Tuesday night (February 12), but he got mixed reviews from the community itself.
Posted in National Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on January 23, 2013
President Obama, in his second inaugural address, emphasized the nation’s principle of equality for all and, in doing so, specifically included the struggles of LGBT Americans to achieve equality.
Posted in National Politics, Presidential 2012, White House
By Lisa Keen on January 9, 2013
U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin said that she wants to see whether Defense Secretary nominee Chuck Hagel’s apology for anti-gay remarks 14 years ago is “sincere and sufficient.” But former U.S. Rep. Barney Frank said his opinion of Hagel has gone from opposition to reconsideration.
Posted in National Politics
By Lisa Keen on December 13, 2012
Chances are, if you are even remotely plugged into the news, you’ve grown weary of hearing about the “fiscal cliff.” That’s the metaphor du jour for the sudden and dramatic cuts in federal spending and tax breaks set to occur at midnight on December 31.
Posted in National Politics
By Lisa Keen on November 15, 2012
A first-ever openly gay person elected U.S. Senator, the largest ever number of openly LGBT people elected to Congress, two new speakers at state houses, the first-ever openly transgender person elected to a state legislature, and the first openly LGBT candidates elected in numerous states.
Posted in Congress, Election 2012, National Politics
By Lisa Keen on May 16, 2012
Despite a warning that President Obama may exercise his veto power, the U.S. House Wednesday (May 16) approved a version of the Violence Against Women Act that omits provisions, approved in the Senate, to help LGBT victims of domestic violence.
Posted in Congress, National Politics, White House
By Lisa Keen on May 10, 2012
In a strict party line vote, Republicans on the U.S. House Judiciary Committee rejected three attempts Tuesday (May 7) to add protections for LGBT victims of domestic abuse in a bill to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act.
Posted in Congress, National Politics
By Lisa Keen on April 26, 2012
A casual listener to U.S. Senate debate Thursday (April 26) would not have heard the skirmish over protections for LGBT victims of domestic abuse.
Posted in Congress, National Politics, News
By Lisa Keen on February 1, 2012
R. Clarke Cooper, head of the national Log Cabin Republicans group, said Mitt Romney won an “informal vote” among the leaders of Florida’s three chapters on the Saturday before Tuesday’s primary. And voters in Florida’s Republican primary on Tuesday gave Romney a victory, too, albeit a less resounding one than did Log Cabin Florida leaders. [...]
Posted in Election 2012, National Politics, Presidential 2012
By Lisa Keen on January 31, 2012
In a speech before a national LGBT conference on Saturday (January 28), U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan said President Obama views the fight for LGBT equality “not as an issue, but as a priority.”
Posted in National Politics
By Lisa Keen on January 24, 2012
While there was only one direct reference to anything gay in President Obama’s third State of the Union address, the speech and a large number of White House activities surrounding it were inclusive of gays.
Posted in National Politics, Presidential 2012, White House
By Dana Rudolph on November 28, 2011
U.S. Secretary of Housing and Urban Development Shaun Donovan became the first United States cabinet secretary to address a transgender event when he gave the keynote speech at the eighth anniversary celebration of the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE).
Posted in National Politics
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 Dana Rudolph on September 21, 2011
When repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” goes into effect September 20, children of gay servicemembers will reap many benefits. But they will still lack many of the protections available to children with opposite-sex parents because of the federal Defense of Marriage Act.
Posted in Don't Ask Don't Tell, National Politics
By Lisa Keen on September 19, 2011
U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin has had to address the “L word” in recent interviews, now that she’s running for the U.S. Senate. Not just because she’s a lesbian, but because she’s a liberal.
Posted in Campaigns, Election 2012, National Politics, Senate
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
Ginsburg on Roe: Is it a signal she’d curb a decision on marriage?
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