Gay rights

Jun 14, 2007 -- Boston, MA - Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued the following statement on the Massachusetts State Legislature's failure to approve the Marriage Amendment:

"Today's vote by the State Legislature is a regrettable setback in our efforts to defend traditional marriage. Unfortunately, our elected representatives decided that the voice of the people did not need to be heard in this debate.    » read more »

June 14, 2007 -- Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today issued the following statement on the overwhelming vote in the Massachusetts legislature to defeat a discriminatory, anti-marriage constitutional amendment:    » read more »

June 01, 2007 -- CHICAGO , IL-- U.S. Senator Barack Obama (D-IL) today released the following statement to commemorate Pride Month.

"Pride Month is a reminder that while we have come a long way since the Stonewall riots in 1969, we still have a lot of work to do."

"Too often, the issue of LGBT rights is exploited by those seeking to divide us. But at its core, this issue is about who we are as Americans. It's about whether this nation is going to live up to its founding promise of equality by treating all its citizens with dignity and respect."    » read more »

6/1/2007 -- "As we celebrate Gay and Lesbian Pride Month, I want to commend the LGBT community on a historic year that brought our country closer to equality and closer to ending discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans. Just a year ago, I worked with my Democratic colleagues in the Senate as well as with LGBT leaders to defeat the divisive and discriminatory Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA).    » read more »

05/31/2007 -- Wilmington, DE – Sen. Joe Biden issued the following statement today on Governor John Lynch’s signing of H.B. 437, the Civil Unions bill.    » read more »

"Legislation puts Families, Children in Jeopardy"

ALEXANDRIA, Va. – United States Senator Sam Brownback criticized Gov. John Lynch of New Hampshire today for signing legislation into law that grants the rights of married couples to homosexual couples.

"In nations that have embraced same sex unions, overall marriage has declined putting families in jeopardy," Brownback said. "This is a massive social experiment whose early results have been quite harmful to families and children."    » read more »

May 31, 2007 -- CONCORD - New Hampshire Governor Lynch today signed legislation establishing civil unions in New Hampshire, furthering New Hampshire's longstanding tradition of rejecting discrimination.

"Dating back to the Abolitionist movement, we in New Hampshire have a long, proud history of taking the lead in opposing discrimination. Today, that tradition continues. Today, we are taking an important step against discrimination. Today, we are acting to protect New Hampshire families," Gov. Lynch said.    » read more »

05/25/2007 -- Governor Bill Richardson today praised Iowa Governor Chet Culver and the Iowa Legislature for passing new civil rights legislation that expands civil rights protections to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation.    » read more »

SF 427 Expands Housing and Employment Civil Rights Protections to LGBT Community

May 25, 2007 -- (Des Moines) Today, joined by Lt. Governor Patty Judge, legislators, activists, advocates and members of the business community, Iowa Governor Chet Culver signed into law SF 427, a bill expanding housing and employment civil rights protections to members of the LGBT community.

“We are here to celebrate one more victory in our nation’s constant struggle to live up to the ideal of our founding fathers – liberty and justice for all,” said Governor Culver.    » read more »

5.17.07 - Columbus, Ohio – Ohio Governor Ted Strickland signed today an executive order establishing a policy that bans discrimination of current or prospective state employees on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Text of Executive Order Follows:

Executive Order 2007 – 10S

Establishing Policy Against Discrimination

Based on Sexual Orientation or Gender Identity    » read more »

Strengthens Protections for Minority, Disabled Employees in Maryland’s Government

ANNAPOLIS, MD (May 15, 2007) - Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley today signed an executive to ensure that state employment decisions are based only on merit and fitness. Executive Order 01.01.2007.09 - Code of Fair Employment Practices - protects state employees from discrimination and mandates that state government comply with the Maryland Commission on Human Relations and the United States Equal Opportunity Commission.    » read more »

Signs into law SB 2 and HB 2007, prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation and establishing legal recognition of same-sex relationships

May 9, 2007 -- Salem – In a celebration of success after decades of hard work to extend equality to gay and lesbian Oregonians, today Oregon Governor Ted Kulongoski signed into law legislation prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity and providing legal recognition of domestic partnerships between same-sex couples.    » read more »

May 3, 2007 -- Washington, D.C. – Speaker Nancy Pelosi spoke on the House floor this afternoon in support of the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, which passed by a vote of 237 to 180. Below are her remarks:

“Thank you very much, Mr. Speaker.    » read more »

April 25, 2007 -- Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean issued the following statement applauding the introduction of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would prohibit employment discrimination based on an employees' sexual orientation or gender identity:    » read more »

Same sex partners and senior partners have the same legal rights and responsibilities as spouses

April 21, 2007 -- OLYMPIA - Washington Governor Chris Gregoire today signed into law a measure to treat domestic partners with dignity and respect by clarifying that they have some of the same rights and responsibilities as married couples on issues relating to the health care, incapacity and death of their loved one.    » read more »