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"Respect for Marriage Act": 91 Co-Sponsors to Repeal DOMA

Rep. Jerry Nadler (D-NY) introduces the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA), which would overturn the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1996 law that prevents the federal government from recognizing same-sex marriages. Nadler was flanked by openly gay Representatives Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Jared Polis of Colorado, and representatives of national and state LGBT advocacy.

In addition to Nadler, Baldwin and Polis, the leading  co-sponsors are John Conyers of Michigan, John Lewis of Georgia, Nydia Velazquez of New York and Barbara Lee of California (seen to the right of Nadler). There are 91 co-sponsors in total. Complete list here.

Nadler calls the RMA  "the first step to overturning the Defense of Marriage Act and sending that ugly law into the history books where it belongs."

The Advocate's Kerry Eleveld covered the Capitol Hill news conference: "Nadler later read a statement from former President Bill Clinton thanking [the sponsors] for introducing the legislation. Clinton signed DOMA into law in 1996. 'Throughout my life I have opposed discrimination of any kind,' Clinton said in the statement. 'When the Defense of Marriage Act was passed, gay couples could not marry anywhere in the United States or the world for that matter. Thirteen years later, the fabric of our country has changed, and so should this policy.'"

In addition to Lee and Conyers, sponsoring members of the Congressional Black Caucus include Alcee Hastings (FL), Yvette Clarke (NY), Donna Edwards (MD), Chaka Fatah (PA) and Jesse Jackson Jr. (IL). The National Black Justice Coalition calls on the entire CBC to support the legislation. Says Deputy Director Jason Bartlett: "As African Americans, we know all too well the injustices that laws such as this impose on our communities and our families. As African Americans, we are sensitive to the federal government trying to define our families. Let us consign the mistakes of the past to history and move forward together. We call on Congress to pass the Respect to Marriage Act as we continue to fight for our civil rights."

The Human Rights Campaign reports the Respect for Marriage Act "would restore the rights of all lawfully married couples—including same-sex couples—to receive the benefits of marriage under federal law. The bill also provides same-sex couples with certainty that federal benefits and protections would flow from a valid marriage celebrated in a state where such marriages are legal, even if a couple moves or travels to another state...rights like Social Security survivors’ benefits, medical leave to care for an ailing spouse and equal treatment under U.S. immigration laws along."

Not present at the news conference was openly Rep. Barney Frank, who says the bill has "zero" chance passage in the near term and believes several federal lawsuits challenging DOMA will be more successful. Nadler disagrees: "Mr. Frank knows better than anyone that our opponents will falsely claim that any DOMA repeal bill 'exports marriage' in an effort to generate fear and misunderstanding. But the dishonest tactics of our opponents should not stop us from aggressively pushing to end this horrific discrimination now. Our bill does not tell any state who it must marry or what marriage it must recognize under state law."

[images via HRC]

Hastings "Disappointed" Obama Ignored Request to End "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" Investigations

Rep. Alcee Hastings takes the extraordinary step of publicizing his frustrations with the Obama Administration's lack of progress on "Don't Ask Don't Tell", the policy that bans gays and lesbians from openly serving in the military, Roll Call reports.

On Thursday the Florida Democrat wrote a harsh letter to President Barack Obama, saying he is "deeply disappointed" the President hasn’t repealed the ban. Hastings is also upset the President ignored the June letter signed by him and 76 other House Members that asked him "to take immediate action" and stop DADT investigations.

"More than two months later, I have yet to receive an official response,” said Hastings. The Florida Democrat notes that the administration has requested another 17,000 troops for Afghanistan and warns that the military can’t afford to lose more soldiers to the 1993 policy, which he argued results in the loss of two service members per day.

"While I commend Secretary [Robert] Gates and the Pentagon’s general counsel for their continued efforts to identify possible provisional measures, you can take action right now. I sincerely hope that your administration will make ‘don’t ask, don’t tell’ a priority and do everything in its power to repeal this ridiculous, bigoted law once and for all."

On July 28, Hastings submitted and then immediately withdrew an amendment that would have de-funded the DADT investigations. Hastings says congressional leadership and the White House "pressured" him to kill the amendment.

The Roll Call report comes on the same day Kerry Eleveld at The Advocate reports the Pentagon "has no particular deadline" on Defense Secretary Robert Gates remarks that the Pentagon is considering easing the policy and "a more humane way to apply the law."

From the "fierce urgency of now" to the fierce urgency of ... whenever. Maybe these really are "second term issues".

Hastings Presses Obama on DADT [Roll Call]
No Timeline For Easing DADT [Advocate]

Some Background ...
Hastings "Pressured" to Withdraw DADT Amendment [R20]
Hastings and 76 Congressmen Call for End [R20]
Gates: Pentagon "Looking for Flexibility" in DADT [R20]
Gates: Administration Will Delay Change to DADT [R20]
Tauscher Introduces Bill to Repeal "Don't Ask" [R20]
Obama Conference Call on "Don't Ask" [R20]
Obama Talks to "The Advocate" [R20]

33 Congressmen Press for Benefits for Gay United Nations Employees

At least 33 members of Congress, lead by South Florida Republican and gay rights ally Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen, have delivered a letter to United Nations Ambassador Susan Rice pressing for LGBT benefits for employees at the United Nations.

The August 6 letter is a follow-up to President Barack Obama's June 17th memorandum to grant limited federal benefits to same-sex partners of federal employees and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's earlier decision to do the same with partners of diplomatic employees. The letter (PDF) reads in part: "We are both heartened and inspired by President Obama's strong commitment to LGBT equality and decision top issue this Presidential Memorandum. ...We wholeheartedly agree with Secretary of State Clinton when she said of policy changes at the Department of State: 'It's the right thing to do.'"

Current internal United Nations policy on same-sex partner benefits defers to the Permanent Mission of the country of origin. Reportedly the UN  has forwarded at least one request to Ambassador Rice to grant benefits to the same-sex partner of an employee.

The letter was signed 33 members of Congress. The signatories include openly gay Reps. Barney Frank (D-MA), Jared Polis (D-CO) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Henry Waxman (D-CA) aand Yvette Clarke (D-NY) and the entire South Florida delegation Ros-Lehtinen (R), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D), Robert Wexler(D) and Alcee Hastings (D). Hastings is pressing the Obama Administration to end investigations of  "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" violations and says he was pressured to withdrawal an amendment that would have de-funded the Pentagon's DADT investigations.

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Hastings "Pressured" to Withdraw DADT Suspension Amendment

Florida Congressman Alcee Hastings (D) submits and then immediately withdraws an amendment that would have prevented the military from using money to carry out the provisions of its "Don't Ask, Don't Tell: policy, which prevents gays from serving openly in the military.

The Democrat said he reluctantly pulled the measure under pressure from Democratic congressional colleagues and the White House. "I would, however, like to note that it is most unfortunate that we are not addressing Don't Ask, Don't Tell at this time," Hastings said in announcing his decision. "We should not be appropriating funds to enable qualified service members to be booted out just because they are honest about whom they are."

The congressman also took aim the White House for not providing leadership ON DADT. "What is the holdup, then? Last month, 76 of my colleagues and I sent a letter to President Obama urging him to take leadership on this issue and to work together with Congress to repeal this law. More than a month later, I have yet to receive an official response."

Read more of that letter here and the full list of/signatories. AFTER THE JUMP, watch MSNBC's Rachel Maddow explain why Rep. Hasting was "forced" to withdraw his measure. Oh and what a shock: Some "Democrats" and the Whie House want to "change" to DADT ... only years later.

Alcee Hastings and 76 Congressmen Call for End to DADT Investigations

Seventy-seven congressmen, led by Florida Democratic Rep. Alcee Hastings, have sent a letter to President Barack Obama urging him "to take immediate action" and stop investigations of  "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" violations, reports The Advocate. The new strategy calls for immediate executive action, followed by legislative repeal of  DADT. . 

"'It is a presidential moratorium, it is a significant presidential action, but it's not an executive order,' said Christopher Neff, political director at the Palm Center, a research institute at University of California, Santa Barbara. 'They basically want the military to disregard anyone who 'tells' [of someone's sexuality] as long as there isn't a [Uniform Code of Military Justice] violation or something criminal.' Neff called the move by congressional members 'gutsy'. 'Having 77 members step up sends a strong message that there is movement on this issue and that it doesn't have to wait three years for a bill to pass Congress,' Neff said."

Last week the Senate Majority "Leader" Harry Reid said he wanted the House to move on a filed in March. That bill, sponsored by California's outgoing Rep. Ellen Tauscher, has 144 bipartisan sponsors. This latest move punts the issue to the White House—for now.

AFTER THE JUMP, the full text of the letter complete with signatories. It can also be viewed on Rep. Hastings' website. Reps. John Conyers (D-MI), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Barbara Lee (D-CA) and many members of the Congressional Black Caucus are signatories. (Well, not everyone.) Did your representative sign the letter?