Category Archives: National Politics

Levin poised to strip DADT repeal from defense spending measure

A key supporter of repealing Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell is poised to deal the legislation a significant setback. Sen. Carl Levin, chair of the Senate Armed Services Committee and a strong supporter of repeal, said he will hold hearings on

Two groups send mixed message on DADT repeal timing

When Congress came back to begin its lame-duck session on Monday, it was suddenly hearing mixed messages from LGBT groups concerning repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.

DADT study leak mostly supports repeal

A 370-page Pentagon study on implementing repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell will report December 1 that repeal poses only minimal risk to current war efforts, according to an article posted Wednesday night in the Washington Post.

Sponsoring LGBT Legislation No Harm to Electability

A number of LGBT allies lost their races in last week’s elections--but one bit of positive news is that sponsoring LGBT-rights legislation did not negatively impact a candidate’s ability to win.

Congressional Caucus to HHS: Do more to address LGBT youth suicides

Leaders of the U.S. House’s LGBT Equality Caucus called on the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) Tuesday to do more to stop suicides among LGBT youth, calling the suicides "a serious public health problem which cannot wait."

Fed grants awarded to begin addressing bullying and safe schools

The U.S. Department of Education announced the awarding of $38.8 million in grants to 11 states from a new Safe and Supportive School program, just days after a media blitz about the bullying-related suicides of five teenagers. But the grants

GOP “Pledge” honors only “traditional marriage”

Republicans in the U.S. House of Representatives revealed their “Pledge to America,” and it includes a pledge to “to honor families, traditional marriage, life, and the private and faith-based organizations that form the core of our American values.” That reference

Vote against filibuster fails; no DADT repeal today

The Senate rejected a motion to break a Republican-led filibuster against an annual defense spending bill that includes language aimed at ending the military’s Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell law banning gays. The vote was 56 to 43.

Biden: “I think we’ll get 55 votes to repeal”

Vice President Joe Biden said Democrats in the Senate have the votes not only to pass the measure to repeal "Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell" but also to thwart any attempt by Republicans to defeat the measure through some other tactic.

Hospital visitation regs: Lambda wants to close the loopholes

Equality in hospital visitation policies is not a controversial issue. That’s what seems apparent from the 427 comments received during the just ended public comment period on the proposed regulation to implement President Obama’s hospital visitation memorandum.