Weekly Political Roundup: A New York State of Mind
No big roundup this week. As with many of you, I’m busy watching the marriage equality happenings in New York tonight. Stay tuned. [10:45 p.m. ET: A wee update, from my piece for Keen News Service.]
Weekly Political Roundup
Weekly Political Roundup
The Senate Armed Services Committee passed its version of the National Defense Authorization Act without any of the anti-LGBT amendments that the House passed in its version—including one that would have delayed repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. The Senate bill would also repeal the military’s long-standing anti-sodomy regulation. The U.S. Department of Health and
Weekly Political Roundup
It was a week full of mostly national news: The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services issued guidance to state Medicaid agencies to clarify “that they are able to offer same-sex couples many of the same financial and asset protections available to opposite-sex couples when a partner is entering a nursing home or care
Weekly Political Roundup
A Gallup poll finds what an earlier Washington Post/ABC News poll did: a majority of Americans now support marriage for same-sex couples. The Connecticut House passed a bill that would bar discrimination based on gender identity or expression in employment, housing, and public accommodations (including restrooms). New York state senator Martin Golden introduced a bill
Weekly Political Roundup
The U.S. House Armed Services Committee approved three amendments that would delay implementation of the repeal of the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy. Air Force Major Margaret Witt, who was discharged in 2003 under Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, will receive full retirement, the government will drop its appeal against her, and the discharge will
Weekly Political Roundup
The law firm hired to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) has withdrawn from its contract to do so, but the lawyer who was to take the case has left the firm and plans to defend it from elsewhere. On the other hand, the Senate committee considering a bill to repeal DOMA may just
Weekly Political Roundup
Because today is the Day of Silence, an annual observance to raise awareness of anti-LGBT bullying and harassment, I’ll point out my piece over at Keen News Service on court cases sparked by the event. The Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) and the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) (which would allow people to sponsor same-sex partners
Weekly Political Roundup
Pentagon officials told a House subcommittee that it may certify to Congress by mid-summer that it is ready to implement repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. A new study (PDF) from the Williams Institute of UCLA has found that roughly 9 million adults in the U.S. identify as LGBT, with an estimated 19 million reporting they
Weekly Political Roundup
The U.S. and 85 other countries backed a United Nations declaration calling for an end to violence and human rights abuses on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton also issued a statement in support of ending such persecution and discrimination. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth
Weekly Political Roundup
A U.S. House panel ordered the House general counsel to defend the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court, even though President Obama recently said his administration would no longer defend it. Members of the U.S. Congress introduced a passel of bills this week designed to protect students from bullying, and including explicit protections on
