Baldwin sees ENDA, hate crimes passing next Congress

[canis_lupus]

The only open lesbian in the U.S. House of Representatives is predicting that in the next session of Congress, bills related to employment non-discrimination and hate crimes will have a better chance of passing than legislation aimed at repealing the Defense of Marriage Act or “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.”

Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) made the comments last week at a Center for American Progress forum geared toward highlighting the importance of the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act, which would grant the partners of gay federal employees the same benefits that are available to the spouses of straight counterparts.

Sen. Gordon Smith (R-Ore.) joined Baldwin in the panel discussion. Other speakers at the event included former Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and former U.S. Ambassador to Romania Michael Guest, who resigned his 26-year career as a Foreign Service officer last year in protest of federal employment practices.

Baldwin said she is “very optimistic” that ENDA and a hate crimes measure would pass Congress next session, particularly if Democratic presidential hopeful Sen. Barack Obama, who has supported the initiatives, takes the White House.

She also said she expects progress on the Domestic Partner Benefits and Obligations Act, which has not moved this session from the House and Senate committees to which it had been assigned.

http://www.washblade.com/2008/6-20/news/national/12797.cfm

Finally! Some good news for a change. And the overwhelming reason why the LGBT community needs to heal it's rifts from the primaries and MUST get Democrats in the White House and Congress.

[ccharles000]

1. Lovely.

[msongs]

2. what are bush democrats gonna be called if there is a dem prez lol nt

[terrya]

3. And one hopes that our nominee, as President, will sign those bills.