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EBONY: Domestic Violence Act Goes, Anti-Gay Legislation Stays

PHOTO: GETTY

Combating violence against women is not a "family value" of the House Republican leadership. My op-ed on the front page of EBONY.com: "GOP FAMILY VALUES: Domestic Violence Act Goes, Anti-Gay Legislation Stays."

Speaker of the House John Boehner, Majority Leader Eric Cantor and their Republican colleagues have decided to ring in the New Year with a new round of virtual assaults on women, minorities and immigrants.

After subjecting the nation to its latest obstructionism masked as political theater in the waning days of 2012 and the early hours of 2013—otherwise known as the short-term solutions to scale the "fiscal cliff”—the House Republican leadership quickly adjourned without reauthorizing the Violence against Women Act. VAWA has been “reauthorized without fanfare since then-Senator Joe Biden spearheaded its passage in 1994,” notes The Atlantic.

The Senate version would “have extended domestic violence protections to 30 million lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals, undocumented immigrants and Native American women. No surprise that the all-male and all-White House Republican leadership are opposed to expanding protections for victims of domestic violence

On the other hand, the GOP found the time and money to continue defending the Defense of Marriage Act—a losing battle to preserve a retrograde, 1950s version of what marriage and relationships should look like.

Read the op-ed HERE.

WATCH: Gwen Moore Slams GOP Over Abortion and "Black Babies"

Wisconsin Democratic Rep. Gwen Moore slammed Republican colleagues during the debate on anti-gay Indiana GOP Rep. Mike Pence's amendment to defund Planned Parenthood. 

Moore said, "I was filled with rage. These same people who accuse Planned Parenthood of 'targeting' African-American children, they care about you only while you’re in the womb. The minute you crown, you’re on your own."

Watch Rep. Moore AFTER THE JUMP ...

Only two weeks ago, you may recall that Moore led 32 Democratic members of Congress in asking the Defense Department to allow all service members discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to apply for honorable-discharge status—which would make them eligible for veterans' benefits. 

Transcript via Akiba Solomon at Colorlines:

I am really touched by the passion of the [opposition] to want to save black babies. I can tell you, I know a lot about having black babies. I’ve had three of them. And I had my first one when I was 18 years old… An unplanned pregnancy.

I just want to tell you what it’s like not to have planned parenthood. … You have to give your kids ramen noodles at the end of the month to fill up their little bellies so they won’t cry. You have to give them mayonnaise sandwiches. They get very few fruits and vegetables because they’re expensive. It subjects children to low educational attainment because of the ravages of poverty. ...

I heard some of you talk about sexual predators. It subjects them to sexual predators as when you try to go out and do a little work you have to leave your kids with just anybody because you don’t have $800 to $1,200 a month for childcare. And let me tell you, you know the public policy has treated poor children and women who have not had the benefit of planned parenthood with utter contempt.

Moore had been bound for Radcliffe College when she became pregnant. Instead, she ended up on welfare.

The House of Representatives voted 240-185 Friday to cut all funding for Planned Parenthood. Only 11 Democrats voted with Republicans. Only seven Republicans defected.

Can a sista rock the mic? Watch Rep. Moore AFTER THE JUMP ...

 

Dems Ask DoD to Give VA Benefits to Gays Discharged Under DADT

A group of Democratic lawmakers lead by Wisconsin Rep. Gwen Moore are asking the Defense Department to allow all service members discharged under "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" to apply for honorable-discharge status—which would make them eligible for veterans' benefits.

The 32 signatories of the letter include the four openly gay members of Congress—Reps. Barney Frank (MA), Tammy Baldwin (WI), David Cicilline (RI) and Jared Polis (CO), reports the Washington Blade.

In the letter to Gates, the lawmakers note that service members separated under "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" may not have received "honorable" discharges. Some discharged troops may have received a “general” or “other than honorable” discharge, the lawmakers write, and those discharged under the prior regulatory ban could have received a “dishonorable” discharge. The letter states that these designations could impair these service members’ ability to receive veterans benefits.

The letter notes that former service members seeking to change the designation of their discharge can petition the Service Boards for the Correction of Military Records or Service Discharge Review Boards for redress. Still, the lawmakers write that the process for these petitions can be lengthy and can lead to disparate outcomes.

In the letter to [Veterans Affairs Secretary Eric] Shinseki, lawmakers ask the secretary to “study and implement” new procedures to make easier the process by which service members can seek to have benefits restored — even if they believe their discharge characterization was inappropriate. ...

Benefits that are available to former service members through the Department of Veterans Affairs include certain health care services, compensation for survivors of certain servicemembers and veterans, disability payments for veterans, education benefits and home financing assistance.

Stars and Stripes adds: "Troops with other-than-honorable dismissals can apply for health care related to service-connected injuries, but the department can deny treatment for health issues that develop later in life. They are not eligible for GI Bill benefits, and may be refused veterans home loans. ... Even troops with honorable status have 'homosexual conduct' stamped on their discharge paperwork, which creates privacy headaches when civilian employers ask for evidence of their military experience."