House members form gay equality caucus

Fifty-two members of the House of Representatives have formed a bipartisan LGBT Equality Caucus to lobby for civil rights. All but two of the members are Democrats. The caucus was announced on June 4 at a Capitol Hill news conference by the House's only two openly gay members, Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Barney Frank (D-MA). "We represent different races, different genders, different sexual orientations, different geographic regions, different generations, and different parties, but we share a common mission: to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender equality," said Baldwin. Congressman Barney Frank, who is co-chairing the caucus with Baldwin said, "With a Democratic majority in the Ho us e, we now have both the opportunity and the responsibility to move towards legal equality for people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender. This caucus will play an important role in helping shape the strategy by which we do this." The Caucus will serve as a resource for Members of Congress, their staffs, and the public on LGBT issues. Congressional action this session on legislation combating hate crimes and employment discrimination based highlighted the need, and the desire people had, for more information on LGBT issues, Baldwin and Frank said. Baldwin described the caucus as both symbolic and substantive. "Symbolic because, historically, of all the Member caucuses organized in the Congress over the years, none has ever been dedicated to equality for LGBT Americans. The very existence of an LGBT Equality Caucus in Congress makes a strong statement about the values this Congress and this nation hold dear." Frank and Baldwin said that the caucus will address not only US domestic policies, but our nation's foreign policy to safeguard the human rights of LGBT people in all parts of the world. "Many of us in Congress have been fighting hard for LGBT equality for years, and this Caucus will help provide a unified voice on these important issues," said Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) who will serve as a vice-chair. "I am confident that with this new Caucus we can, someday soon, live in an America where true equality is a fact of life for the LGBT community." Frank and Baldwin said they expected more members to join in the coming months: The current members include: Reps. Rob Andrews (D-NJ), Xavier Becerra (D-CA) Lois Capps (D-CA), Yvette Clarke (D-NY), Joseph Crowley (D-NY), Diana DeGette (D-CO), Keith Ellison (D-MN), Raúl Grijalva (D-AZ), Mike Honda (D-CA), Barbara Lee (D-CA), James McGovern (D-MA), Jerry Nadler (D-NY), Linda Sánchez (D-CA), Jan Schakowsky (D-IL), Hilda Solis (D-CA), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-FL), Henry Waxman (D-CA), Anthony Weiner (D-NY), Peter Welch (D-VT), Howard Berman (D-CA), Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), Robert Brady (D-PA), Michael Capuano (D-MA), Susan Davis (D-CA), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Eliot Engel (D-NY), Anna Eshoo (D-CA), Luis Gutierrez (D-IL), Phil Hare (D-IL), Rush Holt (D-NJ), Sheila Jackson Lee (D-TX), Eddie Bernice Johnson (D-TX), Patrick Kennedy (D-RI), Dennis Kucinich (D-OH), Zoe Lofgren (D-CA), Carolyn Maloney (D-NY), Doris Matsui (D-CA), James Moran (D-VA), Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC), Frank Pallone (D-NJ), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Steven Rothman (D-NJ), José Serrano (D-NY), Chris Shays (R-CT), Pete Stark (D-CA), Betty Sutton (D-OH), Ellen Tauscher (D-CA), Niki Tsongas (D-MA), Robert Wexler (D-FL), Lynn Woolsey (D-CA).