The new edition of the Human Rights Campaign's so-called Congressional Scorecard has found an increase in both supportive and unsupportive legislators.HRC said the findings reveal a "stark polarisation.""A strong and devoted group of anti-LGBT legislators continues to stymie the progress LGBT people deserve," said HRC President Joe Solmonese. "The fact that the first ever vote to repeal Don't Ask, Don't Tell in the House of Representatives was countered by a filibuster in the Senate illustrates the landscape."In the House, 145 members received a pro-gay score of 90 percent or better, compared to 128 members in the previous Congress. Senators scoring 90 percent or better this year rose from 32 to 36. However, the number of senators receiving a zero score from HRC climbed as well, from 16 to 32. The number of House zeros remained unchanged."As more and more Americans support equality for
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Human Rights Campaign claim Congress is polarised - Pink Paper
Posted by
uluckidog 961 days ago
(http://news.google.com)
Gutierrez and Quigley Push LGBT Rights In Immigration Reform
Posted by
USAFrance 1095 days ago
(http://www.edgechicago.com)
U.S. Rep. Luis Gutierrez (D-Chicago), joined by fellow Reps. Mike Quigley (D-Chicago) and Jared Polis (D-Colo.), called May 24 for the inclusion of gay and lesbian binational couples in the comprehensive immigration reform measure now before Congress.
"Our legal immigration system is so dysfunctional and restrictive that we have created incentives for people to go around our system rather than going through it," Gutierrez said. "Nowhere is this more true than for committed same-sex couples who have to make a painful choice between their family and the immigration laws of the U.S. that do not recognize these family units for the purposes of immigration."
At a press conference at the Center on Halsted, Gutierrez said U.S. laws that allow heterosexuals to sponsor a partner for citizenship, but not gays and lesbians, send the wrong message.
"It seems t
"Our legal immigration system is so dysfunctional and restrictive that we have created incentives for people to go around our system rather than going through it," Gutierrez said. "Nowhere is this more true than for committed same-sex couples who have to make a painful choice between their family and the immigration laws of the U.S. that do not recognize these family units for the purposes of immigration."
At a press conference at the Center on Halsted, Gutierrez said U.S. laws that allow heterosexuals to sponsor a partner for citizenship, but not gays and lesbians, send the wrong message.
"It seems t
Council Supports Bill Giving Equal Immigration Rights to Same Sex Couples
Posted by
USAFrance 1095 days ago
(http://www.nbcwashington.com)
Next week the D.C. Council will discuss a resolution showing support of the Uniting American Families Act pending in Congress.
Councilman At-Large David Catania authored the resolution last week, and the other 12 members of the council co-introduced it.
U.S. immigration law does not allow same-sex citizens and permanent residents to sponsor foreign-born partners for immigration benefits.
The UAFA, introduced in the House by U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and in the Senate by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., would "amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate discrimination in the immigration laws by permitting permanent partners of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the same manner as spouses of citizens and lawful permanent residents and to penalize immigration fraud in connec
Councilman At-Large David Catania authored the resolution last week, and the other 12 members of the council co-introduced it.
U.S. immigration law does not allow same-sex citizens and permanent residents to sponsor foreign-born partners for immigration benefits.
The UAFA, introduced in the House by U.S. Rep. Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., and in the Senate by Sen. Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., would "amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate discrimination in the immigration laws by permitting permanent partners of United States citizens and lawful permanent residents to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the same manner as spouses of citizens and lawful permanent residents and to penalize immigration fraud in connec
Obama and LGBT Rights
Posted by
UnitedByLove 1095 days ago
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com)
For supporters of LGBT rights, the election of President Obama represented an apparent historical turning point for sexual minorities in our country. As a presidential candidate, Obama had said all of the rights things: he criticized the military's Don't Ask, Don't Tell policy (DADT); he called for the enactment of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would protect employees against sexual orientation and gender identity discrimination; and called for the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA).
But now that almost a third of Obama's first term has gone by, there is growing despair among many of his LGBT supporters over how little the administration has accomplished on gay rights. We have been here before. Eighteen years ago many gay rights advocates celebrated the election of President Clinton, the first presidential candidate to reach out to the LGBT c
But now that almost a third of Obama's first term has gone by, there is growing despair among many of his LGBT supporters over how little the administration has accomplished on gay rights. We have been here before. Eighteen years ago many gay rights advocates celebrated the election of President Clinton, the first presidential candidate to reach out to the LGBT c
Is Immigration rights for same sex couples possible
Posted by
BinatUK 1095 days ago
(http://www.sfgate.com)
You're from the United States. You fall in love with a foreign national. Straight couples have legal recourse in this situation: get married and sponsor your spouse for citizenship.
Gay couples in this situation have no legal recourse, an issue that SF Weekly recently highlighted with the stories of several same-sex couples who were separated by US immigration law, or had one partner living in the United States illegally.
Because the federal Defense of Marriage Act prohibits legal recognition of same-sex relationships, couples married in California, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa and Vermont can't sponsor their spouses for citizenship either.
Democrats in the Senate have included a provision for same-sex couples in their immigration reform proposal released April 29, which will give them the same immigration rights as straight cou
Gay couples in this situation have no legal recourse, an issue that SF Weekly recently highlighted with the stories of several same-sex couples who were separated by US immigration law, or had one partner living in the United States illegally.
Because the federal Defense of Marriage Act prohibits legal recognition of same-sex relationships, couples married in California, New Hampshire, Massachusetts, Connecticut, Iowa and Vermont can't sponsor their spouses for citizenship either.
Democrats in the Senate have included a provision for same-sex couples in their immigration reform proposal released April 29, which will give them the same immigration rights as straight cou
When we hear this tried crap about Obama being too busy for gay rights, and how he's got bigger things to deal with, it helps, but remains unfortunate, that we have stories like Genesio "Junior" Oliveira and Joe Smith (a fake name) — two men forced to leave the United States because this nation endorses discrimination.
Wasn't assistant attorney general Tom Perez — Obama's "civil rights czar" — just saying how he was going to stick up for queers? Yes, he was: "We must fight for fairness and basic equality for our LGBT brothers and sisters who so frequently are being left in the shadows [and to] ensure that there's a level playing field in which our LGBT brothers and sisters are judged by the content of their character."
So how come it's Perez's own Justice Department that just let expire an asylum claim from Oliveira, who was raped in his native Brazil and fled
Wasn't assistant attorney general Tom Perez — Obama's "civil rights czar" — just saying how he was going to stick up for queers? Yes, he was: "We must fight for fairness and basic equality for our LGBT brothers and sisters who so frequently are being left in the shadows [and to] ensure that there's a level playing field in which our LGBT brothers and sisters are judged by the content of their character."
So how come it's Perez's own Justice Department that just let expire an asylum claim from Oliveira, who was raped in his native Brazil and fled
With the nation's attention still focused on health care, it may seem like comprehensive immigration reform has been swept under the rug. Don't worry--it may be quiet right now, but CIR is not dead. This past week members of Congress have shown us that immigration reform legislation is still on the agenda.
The legal center report said repealing DOMA is “an obvious and necessary step to ending federal discrimination against gay and lesbian couples.”
Entitled “A Devastating Wait: Family Unity and the Immigration Backlogs,” the report includes a long laundry list of recommendations for immigration legislation, including reclassifying spouses and minor children of legal permanent residents as immediate relatives, exempting Filipino World War II veterans from annual quotas and placing a permanent three-year cap on wait times for family-sponsored visas – which woul
The legal center report said repealing DOMA is “an obvious and necessary step to ending federal discrimination against gay and lesbian couples.”
Entitled “A Devastating Wait: Family Unity and the Immigration Backlogs,” the report includes a long laundry list of recommendations for immigration legislation, including reclassifying spouses and minor children of legal permanent residents as immediate relatives, exempting Filipino World War II veterans from annual quotas and placing a permanent three-year cap on wait times for family-sponsored visas – which woul
Time is Running out for LGBT Rights (EqualAmerica)
Posted by
BinatUK 1321 days ago
(http://equalamerica.org)
We wrote about this a little bit on Wednesday, but it’s important for the LGBT community to start looking for the next fight which is immigration reform (for some 36,000+ bi-national gay couples living in exile or facing an uncertain future), DADT, and DOMA.
The LGBT community needs to abandon the notion that incremental change will suffice. I have news for you: It will take about 13 years to gain a majority of states on our side with that approach. Who stands to gain from this approach? I’m glad you asked! People like Joe Solmonese from HRC, your elected officials in Congress, and the President. They all benefit because it ‘appears’ that they are working hard for change, but in essence, it’s a half-hearted piecemeal effort. Why do I sound so cynical? That’s because going this route is easy and doesn’t require much expense, because the political winds are shifting in our fa
The LGBT community needs to abandon the notion that incremental change will suffice. I have news for you: It will take about 13 years to gain a majority of states on our side with that approach. Who stands to gain from this approach? I’m glad you asked! People like Joe Solmonese from HRC, your elected officials in Congress, and the President. They all benefit because it ‘appears’ that they are working hard for change, but in essence, it’s a half-hearted piecemeal effort. Why do I sound so cynical? That’s because going this route is easy and doesn’t require much expense, because the political winds are shifting in our fa
The Day After (Gay Immigration Rights)
Posted by
OurHero-Tan 1321 days ago
(http://gayimmigration.blogspot.com)
A year later, another Election Day, another heartbreak. But this time I have no illusion about President Obama being the Savior of gay people. As many times as he has repeated the promises he made before the Election, he has done next to nothing for us. The fact that Organizing for America, his former campaign arm, sent out a message before Election Day to urge Mainers to support the governor race in New Jersey, while failing to mention the fight in Maine that's on everyone's mind, speaks volume about the President's avoidance on gay issues.
Gay Rights President Forgetting the Lessons of the Campaign
Posted by
ExileComingHome 1321 days ago
(http://www.huffingtonpost.com)
How does Obama the President compare to Obama the candidate on gay rights? It's no secret that GLBT advocates have expressed disappointment and frustration with decisions by the White House to avoid pressing for gay rights during the first year of the administration. No executive order to halt the discharges of gay troops; no bold leadership on passing non-discrimination legislation; no mention of a ballot initiative in Maine to reverse marriage equality that might have made a real difference in the loss there Tuesday. We helped elect him with our votes, money, and time because we were promised change. But in our lives as GLBT people, that's not what's being delivered.
And now we're in a pickle. Most are...
And now we're in a pickle. Most are...
Maine Marriage Setback a Call to Action for Federal LGBT Rights
Posted by
BinatUK 1321 days ago
(http://www.indybay.org)
The State of Maine’s rejection of marriage equality at the ballot box yesterday is being heeded as a call for federal LGBT rights by activists and organizations around the US, including Out4Immigration.
The Maine vote was 53% in support of taking away civil marriage rights granted to gays and lesbians by approval of the state legislature and signed into law by the state’s governor 6 months ago. 47% of voters supported marriage equality. “Subjecting minority rights to majority vote repeatedly denies equality to LGBT families,” said Mickey Lim, vice president and co-founder of Out4Immigration, a grassroots organization that works closely with same-sex marriage groups for recognition of same-sex binational couple rights tied to federal immigration policies.
Out4Immigation advocates for same-sex binational couples, relationships in which one partner is American and
The Maine vote was 53% in support of taking away civil marriage rights granted to gays and lesbians by approval of the state legislature and signed into law by the state’s governor 6 months ago. 47% of voters supported marriage equality. “Subjecting minority rights to majority vote repeatedly denies equality to LGBT families,” said Mickey Lim, vice president and co-founder of Out4Immigration, a grassroots organization that works closely with same-sex marriage groups for recognition of same-sex binational couple rights tied to federal immigration policies.
Out4Immigation advocates for same-sex binational couples, relationships in which one partner is American and
Obama Speech to the Human Rights Campaign
Posted by
DividedByLaw 1347 days ago
(http://gaytheists.org)
President Obama gave a speech to the HRC last night, and, as usual, it was wonderfully crafted and moving.
However, that’s where the positive things I can say stop.
President Obama has promised everything he can to the LGBT community: a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, ending Bush’s horrid HIV travel ban [Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 212(a)(1)(A)(i)], creating equality for gay couples, ending employment discrimination, etc.
He hasn’t done anything on any of those issues. Nothing at all. In fact, this paragraph is pretty much just filler, because there’s absolutely nothing to talk about with Obama’s track record (or lack thereof) of sticking to his word on matters that affect the gay community. He’s done nothing but give pretty speeches.
To top it all off, Joe Solmonese, president of the HRC, is all but fellating the Pre
However, that’s where the positive things I can say stop.
President Obama has promised everything he can to the LGBT community: a repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, ending Bush’s horrid HIV travel ban [Immigration and Nationality Act, Section 212(a)(1)(A)(i)], creating equality for gay couples, ending employment discrimination, etc.
He hasn’t done anything on any of those issues. Nothing at all. In fact, this paragraph is pretty much just filler, because there’s absolutely nothing to talk about with Obama’s track record (or lack thereof) of sticking to his word on matters that affect the gay community. He’s done nothing but give pretty speeches.
To top it all off, Joe Solmonese, president of the HRC, is all but fellating the Pre
Time Is Right For Gay Rights Obama Official Says
Posted by
UnitedByLove 1347 days ago
(http://www.ontopmag.com)
Activists working to pass federal gay rights legislation should move now to take advantage of the current political climate, an Obama official said Friday.
“This is the best opportunity we will ever have as a community and shame on us if we don't succeed,” openly gay John Berry, director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, said.
Berry made his remarks at the Out & Equal Workplace Advocates conference that ended Friday in Orlando, the AP reported. Michael Guest, the first openly gay ambassador to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and Malcolm Lazin, executive director of Equality Forum, also spoke at the four-day event.
“The clock is against us,” Berry said. “If we lose this, it could be years if not a decade before this opportunity comes around.”
“This is the best opportunity we will ever have as a community and shame on us if we don't succeed,” openly gay John Berry, director of the U.S. Office of Personnel Management, said.
Berry made his remarks at the Out & Equal Workplace Advocates conference that ended Friday in Orlando, the AP reported. Michael Guest, the first openly gay ambassador to be confirmed by the U.S. Senate, and Malcolm Lazin, executive director of Equality Forum, also spoke at the four-day event.
“The clock is against us,” Berry said. “If we lose this, it could be years if not a decade before this opportunity comes around.”
(Gay Immigration Rights) Public opinion on Homosexuality
Posted by
OurHero-Tan 1347 days ago
(http://gayimmigration.blogspot.com)
Not immigration/DOMA related but very interesting read: Basically support for Civil Union has grown ever so slightly (57% support, 37% oppose), whereas support for gay marriage continues on an up and down trend (53% oppose, 39% support), with little significant change over the past 6 years.
No hope repealing DOMA through Congress
Posted by
OurHero-Tan 1353 days ago
(http://gayimmigration.blogspot.com)
Let me get this straight. When President Obama was put on the spot after DOJ released the disastrous DOMA brief, he reiterated his support for DOMA repeal but said Congress has to act on it. When Congress answered his call and introduced a DOMA Repeal bill, his associates then called it hopeless. Now they say our only hope is the Supreme Court, which of course is a convenient thing for the White House since the social conservatives can't blame him if DOMA is repealed through the Court.
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Promoting public awareness of the need for fairness in immigration policy particularly as it relates to the rights of same-sex bi-national couples in the United States who seek equal immigration rights; Providing information regarding political issues relating to gay immigration equality issues, rights and policy.