House of Representatives Now Has Majority With Anti Gay Views

We must protest loudly!

House of Representatives Now Has Majority With Anti Gay Views

This New Year brings new challenges for lesbian, gay, bisexual and
transgender people, but also new opportunities. Last year's elections
that resulted in the loss of the US House of Representatives to an
anti- equality leadership, along with more anti-lgbt senators, will
certainly impede - but not entirely stop - pro-lgbt federal
legislative efforts. looking at the states however, there are clear
opportunities for advancing an equality agenda, including in the area
of relationship recognition for same-sex couples. of course, anti-lgbt
forces will to try to turn back the clock at every opportunity, and
fair-minded americans will continue to be vigilant to preserve
pro-equality laws across the country.

CONGRESS

As the new Congress is sworn in this week, there is no denying that
pro-LGBT numbers have shrunk on Capitol Hill. A Human Rights Campaign
analysis shows a pick-up of 53 House seats to anti-LGBT lawmakers as
well as a 5 seat addition in the Senate. Not only do those opposing
basic equality hold positions of power as House leaders and committee
chairmen, their ranks have swollen to 225 - a solid majority of the
chamber. This presents not just a roadblock to progress but also the
threat of legislation that could be damaging to the community.

When anti-equality forces controlled Congress for a decade
(1994-2005), they stymied any progress on LGBT issues, instead making
attacks on our community part of their governing agenda. Among these
were: attempting twice to amend the U.S. Constitution to deny marriage
equality to same-sex couples nationwide; trying to strip federal
courts of the authority to hear marriage equality cases; blocking DC's
local efforts to provide domestic partnership benefits to its
employees; cutting funding for HIV prevention, research and treatment
despite a growing epidemic, while pouring federal dollars into
disproven abstinence-only programs that exclude or even denigrate LGBT
youth; and standing in the way of openly-LGBT appointees.

More:
http://www.gayapolis.com/news/artdisplay.php?artid=6140

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Together, we can change the world, one mind at a time.
Have a great day,
Tommy

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