Archive for the ‘Issues’ Category
Category: Issues
ENDA IS HEATING UP & CONGRESS NEEDS TO HEAR FROM US!!
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act is moving quickly through both houses of Congress–but our contacts on Capitol Hill tell us they are not hearing enough from equality-minded people who support the bill, and that we do not yet have the votes needed to pass ENDA.
The Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions is scheduled to hold its hearing on ENDA this Thursday, November 5. The House of Representatives markup on ENDA is expected to take place as early as next week–and the full House will likely vote on ENDA before Thanksgiving.
So we must act quickly — and we need your help. Contact your Representative and Senators immediately and urge them to support ENDA today and ask them to take swift action to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Our legislators must hear, loudly and clearly, that this bill is our top priority.
Click here and your voice heard! It takes 30-seconds or less!
Category: Issues
Tell DC: Pass ENDA this Fall!
Tell Congress to Pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act NOW!
On September 23, the House Education and Labor Committee will hold a hearing to discuss ENDA, the federal employment nondiscrimination law that would ban discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans. It is past time for Congress to pass ENDA — please take action NOW to help us get the support we need. We must tell our Representatives and Senators how important these protections are to LGBT people.
To pass ENDA in Congress in 2009, we must speak up loud and clear! We must flood their offices with calls and emails!
Contact your Representative and Senators to ask them to take swift action to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Do it today. They need to hear that this bill is our top priority.
Time for the big push!
Send email to your congresscritter automatically: https://admin3.getactive.com/campaign/ENDA_CongressionalCampaign_njlgc
Category: Issues
Trans-inclusive hate crimes bill passes the House!
Today the House of Representatives voted to expand federal hate crime law to cover offenses based on a victim’s sexual orientation or gender identity! One step closer, but not done yet.
Lawmakers voted 249 to 175 in favor of the legislation. Of the 16 members from the New Jersey delegation only two people voted against it: the always-disappointing 15-term Rep. Christopher Smith [R, NJ-4] and the oh-so-predictable Rep. Scott Garrett [R, NJ-5].
Category: Issues
NJ Governor Candidate Chris Christie Speaks Against Same-Sex Marriage
At the debate last Thursday night, New Jersey gubernatorial candidate Chris Christie reiterated his opposition to same-sex marriage.
Category: Issues
Catholic bishops in Garden State try to rally anti-marriage troops
New Jersey’s Catholic bishops, in advance of a potential marriage-equality vote by legislators after the November election, have released an anti-marriage-rights letter as part of a drive to get parishioners involved. The Times (Trenton, N.J.), The (9/20)
Category: Issues
Arizona revokes DP benefits for state workers
The domestic partners of Arizona state workers and their children are among several groups to lose their health insurance coverage under a new law signed by Gov. Jan Brewer. The domestic-partnership benefits, which were made available a year ago via an administrative rule change, represented about $3 million versus the state’s $625 million outlay for benefits for other workers and their dependents, according to this article. Arizona Daily Star (Tucson) (09/17)
Category: Issues
Corzine confident about marriage bill’s chances in N.J.
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine, who is locked in a difficult fight against GOP challenger Christopher Christie, said he believes 2009 will be the year in which New Jersey enacts a marriage-equality law.
Read the article in The Advocate
Category: Issues
South Orange passes “Marriage Equality Resolution”
Monday, September 14, the Board of Trustees (municipal government) of South Orange passed a resolution supporting marriage equality for same sex couples. This follows similar resolutions passed in June by Maplewood and by Red Bank.
If you live in a progressive town, could you encourage your town council to do the same?
Sometimes, all you have to do is send an email to the Mayor and/or Council members making the request (and noting that Red Bank, Maplewood, and South Orange have already passed resolutions). Contact information and names for Township Mayor and Councillors can be found on your town’s web site.
The NJ marriage equality bill is likely to come up before the legislature for a vote in November, and the vote could be very close, so now is the time to rally all our supporters to speak out in support of equality.
Here is a portion of the South Orange resolution:
WHEREAS, the Township of South Orange Village has supported equal rights for same sex couples by advocating Domestic Partnership and Civil Union Legislation; and
[... five more WHEREAS clauses ...]
BE IT RESOLVED, by the Board of Trustees of the Township of South Orange Village that it does hereby publicly state its support for marriage equality and calls upon the New Jersey Legislature to enact legislation making same sex marriages legal in the State of New Jersey and upon Governor Corzine to sign such legislation once passed; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that a copy of this resolution be sent to South Orange’s representatives in the New Jersey State Assembly and Senate, Governor Corzine, the New Jersey League of Municipalities and the New Jersey Conference of Mayors.
