Florida Agenda

WASHINGTON, DC – White House officials are clarifying remarks made last week by Michelle Obama during a New York City fundraiser, explaining that the First Lady was not trying to imply that President Obama’s Supreme Court nominees support same-sex marriage, and that she was not endorsing marriage equality on her own behalf or that of the president.

“For the first time in history, our daughters and our sons watched three women take their seat on our nation’s highest court. And let us not forget what their decisions–the impact those decisions will have on our lives for decades to come–on our privacy and security, on whether we can speak freely, worship openly, and, yes, love whomever we choose. But that’s what’s at stake. That’s the choice that we face,” Obama said on March 19.

“That is a reference to the president’s position on the Defense of Marriage Act [DOMA],” White House press secretary Jay Carney said afterwards, referring to the 1996 law that federally defines marriage as between a man and a woman.

In 2011, the Obama administration announced that part of DOMA was unconstitutional and ordered the Justice Department to stop defending the law in court.

There were those on the political left who were hoping that the First Lady was making reference to marriage equality as well as signaling a White House plan to appoint Supreme Court justices who support gay marriages.

OLYMPIA, WA – Former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich met with Washington State lawmakers last week and said that although that he personally disagrees with marriage equality, he believes that those states that have legalized it legislatively are “doing it the right way.” On Friday, Feb. 24, Gingrich, a candidate for the Republican presidential nomination, met with legislators in the Evergreen State, where gay marriage was passed by lawmakers last month. Maryland’s Senate and House of Delegates also approved marriage equality last month.

“I think at least they’re doing it the right way, which is going through voters, giving them a chance to vote and not having a handful of judges arbitrarily impose their will,” Gingrich said of Washington State and Maryland lawmakers. “I don’t agree with it. I would vote ‘no’ if it were on a referendum where I was, but at least they’re doing it the right way.”

SEATTLE, WA  – Members of the state House Judiciary Committee approved a bill on Monday that would legalize same-sex marriages in Washington. The vote split along party lines, with democrats voting 7-to-6 in favor. Similar legislation was approved last week in a state Senate committee.

If legalized, Washington would become the seventh state to recognize marriage equality.

A study by the University of California-Los Angeles law school’s Williams Institute reports that “the total spending on wedding arrangements and tourism by resident same-sex couples and their guests will add an $88-million boost to the Washington economy over the first three years.

This spending is likely to generate $8 million in tax revenue for state and local governments.”

According to a press release from the report’s sponsors, estimates show that “same-sex couples will spend $39 million on weddings in Washington in the first year alone.” Study co-author Angeliki Kastanis, a Public Policy Research Fellow at the Williams Institute, noted: “That translates to approximately $3.4 million in tax revenue, given Washington sales tax rates.”

State Rep. Matt Shea (R-Spokane Valley) offered two amendments to the House bill, one which would require six months’ residency in Washington State before applying for any type of marriage. During the committee vote, Shea warned that passage of the law could lead to discrimination suits against wedding-industry professionals, such as photographers or florists
who refuse to provide their services to gay couples.

By Rory Barbarossa

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The White House issued a document last week entitled “Two Important Developments that Impact the Health and Well-Being of LGBT People.” The document outlined a revision to the FBI’s definition of rape in order to encourage more comprehensive reporting of rape crimes nationwide, including male victims. It also detailed a major grant by the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) for high-impact HIV prevention.

Attorney General Eric Holder announced revisions to the Uniform Crime Report’s definition of rape last week.  The revised definition includes rapes committed against men, and encompasses a broader range of sexual acts understood to be rape. This revised definition will be used to collect data from local law enforcement about these crimes and will be published in the Uniform Crime Report.

The CDC announced that it has begun awarding almost $339 million to state and local health departments across the United States to fund HIV prevention activities this year. The awards are a component of CDC’s new approach to HIV prevention, designed to better align resources to reflect the geographic burden of the HIV epidemic, and achieve a higher level of impact with every federal HIV prevention dollar spent.

By Rory Barbarossa & Bob Kecskemety

Photo: L-R:  Senator Ed Murray (D), Governor Christine Gregoire (D), and Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown (D) All Support Same-Sex Marriage Legislation for Washington.

OLYMPIA, WA Last week, the state’s top lawmakers were divided over what priority to give the same-sex marriage debate at a time Washington is facing a budget crisis. Republican leaders threatened to bring budget talks to a standstill if Democrats insist on making a stand on “social issues.”

State Senate Republican Leader Mike Hewitt told the annual Associated Press Legislative Preview on Jan. 5 that the legislature’s time would be best occupied with matters other than same-sex marriage. “This is not the session for social reforms,” Hewitt told reporters. “The last thing we need to do is be down here in turmoil over social issues.”

Hewitt also took a swipe at fellow Washington state lawmaker Ed Murray, who is gay and a leading supporter of gay marriage legislation. Hewitt accused him of being too close to the issue to be objective, saying that Murray, a Democrat, is “vested in this personally.”

Murray shot back at the Republican leader: “We’re more than one-issue members,” adding, “I’m a little surprised he’s questioning my ability.”
State Senate Majority Leader Lisa Brown, D-Spokane, accused the Republican minority of trying to run down the clock on an issue whose time has come. “This is the right time to move forward with marriage equality,” she said.

Washington Gov. Chris Gregoire echoed Brown’s remarks, noting that the long-view of history.

“To those who say we don’t have the time, what will history say when we say, ’Sorry, we had a budget to pass, so we continued to discriminate.’ That answer does not work,” Brown said. “This is our test. This is what leadership is about. Now is our time.”

Gregoire announced last week that she will introduce legislation that would allow same-sex marriages in Washington state. The announcement represents a change for Gregoire. While she has supported gay and lesbian partners having the same rights that straight married couples enjoy, she has never specifically endorsed same-sex marriage publicly.

Currently, same-sex marriage is legal in six states: Connecticut, Iowa, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, New York, and Vermont and the District of Columbia. Nine states, including California, Delaware, Hawaii, Illinois, Nevada, New Jersey, Oregon, Rhode Island, and Washington, provide same-sex couples with access to the state level benefits and responsibilities of marriage, through either civil unions or domestic partnerships.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – After Massachusetts congressman Barney Frank announced that he will not seek reelection next year, American Family Association (AFA) spokesman Bryan Fischer decided to celebrate Frank’s retirement by attacking the congressman for being gay.

According to Right Wing Watch, on “Focal Point,” Fischer claimed that Frank may have used his prominent position to “influence” other men into becoming gay who may have later contracted AIDS. “This is a dangerous, risky, immoral, unhealthy lifestyle, and Barney Frank has been an open practitioner of a lifestyle that is condemning one young man after another to an early grave,” Fischer said. “This is not somebody to admire, this is not somebody to honor.” Fischer went on to say that Frank “modeled a lifestyle which is really a death-style,” wondering, “Who knows how many people were drawn or encouraged in some way by Barney Frank’s example to dabble in a lifestyle that eventually cost them their health and maybe even cost them their lives.”

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Former New Mexico Governor Gary Johnson is the second GOP presidential contender to officially embrace same-sex marriage, making the announcement during a recent town hall hosted by the pro-gay Republican group, GOProud.

According to Think Progress, Johnson said that as a believer in individual freedom and keeping government out of personal lives, he simply cannot find a legitimate justification for federal laws, such as the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage. He said that the definition should be left to religions and individuals

and not government. He feels that government’s role when it comes to marriage is one of granting benefits and rights to couples who choose to enter into a marriage contract. He said that he has examined this issue, consulted with folks on all sides and views it through the lens of individual freedom and equal rights.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – The National Gay Lesbian Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) honored the work of US Secretary of Labor Hilda Solis with the NGLCC/American Airlines Award for her commitment to promoting equal employment laws for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people at the NGLCC National Awards Dinner.

According to The Hill, in addition to the secretary, the NGLCC honors select individuals and organizations for their courage and dedication to the community, honorees include Ernst & Young, Wells Fargo and Office Depot.

WASHINGTON, DC – Two US senators have introduced a bill which, if approved, would permit same-sex partners of Federal employees to be eligible for health benefits and long-term care. The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act was introduced to the senate by Senators Joeseph Lieberman and Susan Collins.

The two senators also led the fight to repeal the military’s “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. Gay federal employees and their partners would be subject to the same standards that apply to married federal workers, including anti-nepotism rules and financial disclosure requirements.

WASHINGTON, D.C. – In a written statement, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick Leahy announced last week that he intend s

to schedule Committee consideration of the Respect for Marriage Act, a bill that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), in November.

“The march for equality continues, and now is the time to ensure equality for gay and lesbian Americans who are lawfully married,” said Leahy, who is a cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act. “Next month, I will call up the Respect for Marriage Act for debate and a vote in the Judiciary Committee. The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which prevents thousands of American families from being protected by laws that help secure other American families. This is part of the nation’s continuing fight for civil rights for all Americans.”

In July, Leahy chaired the first-ever congressional hearing on proposals to repeal DOMA. The Obama administration has announced the President’s support for the Respect for Marriage Act.