First time the House has recognized the same-sex husband of a member with the House Spouse ID

[PeaceNikki]

Our very own Mark Pocan from WI who took Tammy Baldwin's seat so she could be the first openly gay member of the Senate.

http://www.wisconsingazette.com/breaking-news/us-rep-mark-pocans-husband-receives-house-spouse-id.html

Openly gay U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan’s husband has received an ID issued only to the spouses of federal lawmakers. It is the first time the House has recognized the same-sex husband of a member with the House Spouse ID.

“We’re very happy that my husband Phil (Frank) was able to get a House Spouse ID,” said Pocan, a Democrat from Madison.

A congressional spouse ID was issued to the same-sex partner of another gay representative in 2009, but he was later told the card was issued in error, that he should have received the Designee ID given to unmarried partners of members of Congress.

The Designee ID is the type of card Philip Frank had until about two weeks ago. Frank married Pocan in Canada in November 2006, but the federal government, under the Defense of Marriage Act, does not recognize same-sex marriages.

“We had been told that is what we would get from Day 1,” Pocan said of the “designee” classification on May 9.




ETA: He's introducing a bill to extend same-sex spousal rights to all federal workers.

On Wisconsin!!!

[pintobean]

1. K&R

[PeaceNikki]

3. He made fundie heads explode being sworn in with his husband and his hand on constitution

instead of the Bible.

[MNBrewer]

5. John Boehner looks like he wants to be anywhere but there.

Cute couple, btw.

[pintobean]

6. I guess they fail

to understand that he was swearing to support and defend the Constitution of the United States, not the bible.

It makes perfect sense to me.

[DonViejo]

2. Not only was the marriage recognized..

The recognition was extended to a marriage performed in a foreign country.

There's going to be an uproar...

[PeaceNikki]

4. Oh, right! Plus there's this that I posted above.

http://www.democraticunderground.com/?com=view_post&forum=1002&pid=2827405

Mark is awesome.

[DonViejo]

7. I think the flying monkeys...

will be going nuts over the ID card. I don't think something this big a political deal could happen without Boehner's specific approval.

[PeaceNikki]

8. Saturday AM kick for progress in equality.

I look forward to the day that this is SOP and and news. But today, it's news.

[Jim Lane]

9. This is great news, but I would've thought DOMA barred it.

Isn't the federal government prevented from recognizing (giving legal effect to) any same-sex marriages?

[PeaceNikki]

12. Well...

A congressional spouse ID was issued to the same-sex partner of another gay representative in 2009, but he was later told the card was issued in error, that he should have received the Designee ID given to unmarried partners of members of Congress.
The Designee ID is the type of card Philip Frank had until about two weeks ago. Frank married Pocan in Canada in November 2006, but the federal government, under the Defense of Marriage Act, does not recognize same-sex marriages.

“We had been told that is what we would get from Day 1,” Pocan said of the “designee” classification on May 9.

But working with the House leadership, especially House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, the spousal ID was secured.

“It’s significant,” Pocan said. “It’s the first time.”

The congressman said the ID is largely symbolic and its issuance doesn’t mean Frank has access to the spousal benefits that other congressional husbands or wives receive.

[Ruby the Liberal]

10. Wisconsin confuses me

but in a good way.

How could a state elect openly gay members of the US house and senate and still refuse to recall that numbnuts in the Governor's mansion?

[PeaceNikki]

11. I could write a book on that topic.

The cliff's notes version: We became the most politically divisive place in the nation during that period and both sides were extremely passionate about our position. Pocan won a liberal district, Tammy won in a GE... Walker won in a mid-term and special election. As to not re-hash that whole mess since I am raw from "The May 2013 Pit Bull Ruckus", that's all I'll say on that.

[PeaceNikki]

13. Oh, also, if you're a fan of "This American Life", this episode's Act 1 talks about it a bit.

http://www.thisamericanlife.org/radio-archives/episode/439/a-house-divided

[Ruby the Liberal]

14. Thanks for all you are doing up there.

I remember how tirelessly you worked during the recall effort.



Thanks for the link!

[Half-Century Man]

15. Came as a shock to me as well.

I attended rallies on UW campuses and thought we had the numbers to recall him (imperial walker, little lord fathead, scoff walker, and needledick; were my favorite nicknames). I think many others also were so confident we didn't organize to get voters to the polls. Our bad and we are paying for it. Everyone one, next election multiple trips to the polls carrying transportation challenged, shy, new, young old, intimidated,or whatever voters.

[PeaceNikki]

20. I am in the deep red of Waukesha County so it was less of a shock to me.

Very disappointing, but less of a shock. The GOP was very very motivated as well. And they are good at showing up on election day. There was also a large contingency of voters who were against the recall 'on principle'. If I had a dollar for every one of the "Recall Santa: I didn't get what I wanted for Christmas" bumper stickers and signs around here, I could have taken a nice vacation.

[Tx4obama]

16. That's great news, and now I hope they do the right thing and ...

... issue one for Marlon Reis, the spouse of Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.)

I remember back in 2009 when Reis was given an ID and then was told it was a mistake.

[Cronus Protagonist]

17. The hand on the neck looks creepy to me

No wonder hubby's blushing. The old man's a lout. IMHO.

[Cronus Protagonist]

18. After seeing the other pic...

I have to back off.. maybe he was just hanging on so that he wouldn't look so short in the picture.

[PeaceNikki]

19. Yes, please back off. Mark is a wonderful man.

He credits his political activism in part to an incident soon after he graduated college and opened his printing business. Pocan reports that he was followed by two men after he left a gay bar, and was beaten with a baseball bat while they called him "faggot" and other slurs. This gaybashing incident spurred him to become active in the Madison GLBT community.

Just a few months ago, Pocan's husband was also falsely accused of threatening a GOP staffer who FAKED an attack: http://www.thedailypage.com/daily/article.php?article=38133.

[Smarmie Doofus]

22. Hubby's a fox. Maybe *I* should run for congress. n/t