Showing posts with label U.S. House. Show all posts
Showing posts with label U.S. House. Show all posts
DREAM Act Passes House 216-198! Task Force Applauds
The DREAM Act has passed the U.S. House of Representatives by a vote of 216-198!
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is pleased at the result, via press release:
Here, here!
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is pleased at the result, via press release:
WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 — The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, a longtime advocate for fair and humane comprehensive immigration reform, commends the U.S. House's passage tonight of the Development, Relief and Education of Alien Minors Act (DREAM Act), which offers undocumented young people "conditional permanent residency" if they arrived in this country before they were 16 and attend college or serve in the military. Upon graduation or completion of their enlistment, they would receive permanent legal residency with an opportunity to apply for U.S. citizenship. In addition to the DREAM Act, the Task Force is working in coalition with immigrant rights groups toward passage of comprehensive immigration reform and the Uniting American Families Act.
Statement by Rea Carey, Executive Director
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
National Gay and Lesbian Task Force
"Many people like to say that youth are our future. We are now a step closer to ensuring brighter and more secure futures for our young people, including countless lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender youth, by providing them a path to citizenship. The United States is built on the belief that everyone get a fair shake to fully participate in civic life, and to be able to build a future in the country they love and call home. Passage of the DREAM Act does justice to this fundamental and humane principle. Tonight's House passage is an important first step toward fixing this nation's broken immigration system, but much remains to be done. We urge the Senate to pass the DREAM Act, and continue to call on federal lawmakers and the Obama administration to work toward fair and comprehensive immigration reform."
Here, here!
2012 Senate Outlook Grim For Democrats
If you thought the political landscape in 2010 was bad for Democrats, wait till you see the terrain on which the 2012 Senate elections will be fought:
According to the Cook Political Report, there are currently 23 Democrats up for re-election compared to 10 Republicans.
Interestingly, the 2012 outlook in the U.S. House of Representatives is better, where of the Top 100 most competitive seats 43 favor Democrats and 57 favor Republicans. This analysis is still preliminary because all House seats will be redrawn in the 2011 redistricting.
hat/tip to Political Wire
According to the Cook Political Report, there are currently 23 Democrats up for re-election compared to 10 Republicans.
Solid: These races are not considered competitive and are not likely to become closely contested.
Likely: These seats are not considered competitive at this point but have the potential to become engaged.
Lean: These are considered competitive races but one party has an advantage.
Toss Up: These are the most competitive races; either party has a good chance of winning.
Likely: These seats are not considered competitive at this point but have the potential to become engaged.
Lean: These are considered competitive races but one party has an advantage.
Toss Up: These are the most competitive races; either party has a good chance of winning.
DEMOCRATS | 23 HELD SEATS | ||||||
SOLID D (9) Feinstein* (CA) Carper* (DE) Akaka* (HI) Cardin (MD) Klobuchar (MN) Menendez (NJ) Bingaman* (NM) Whitehouse (RI) Sanders (VT) Kohl* (WI) | LIKELY D (5) Stabenow (MI) Tester (MT) Conrad* (ND) Casey (PA) Cantwell (WA) | LEAN D (3) Lieberman* (CT) Nelson* (FL) McCaskill (MO) Brown (OH) | TOSS UP (3) Nelson* (NE) Webb* (VA) Manchin (WV) | LEAN R (0) | LIKELY R (0) | SOLID R (0) |
REPUBLICANS | 10 HELD SEATS | ||||||
SOLID D (0) | LIKELY D (0) | LEAN D (0) | TOSS UP (2) Brown (MA) Ensign* (NV) | LEAN R (0) | LIKELY R (1) Snowe* (ME) | SOLID R (7) Kyl* (AZ) Lugar (IN) Wicker (MS) Corker (TN) Hutchison* (TX) Hatch* (UT) Barrasso (WY) |
* = potential retirement
Interestingly, the 2012 outlook in the U.S. House of Representatives is better, where of the Top 100 most competitive seats 43 favor Democrats and 57 favor Republicans. This analysis is still preliminary because all House seats will be redrawn in the 2011 redistricting.
hat/tip to Political Wire
RI-01: Openly Gay Mayor of Providence, RI Wins Democratic Nomination
Openly gay Mayor of Providence, Rhode Island David Cicilline easily won the Democratic nomination for the U.S. House of Representatives seat vacated by Patrick Kennedy on Tuesday night.
Because Rhode Island is an overwhelmingly Democratic state, winning the nomination is tantamount to winning the seat. This means that Cicilline will very likely become the 4th openly LGBT member of the 112th Congress which is called to order January 4, 2011. The other members should be Tammy Baldwin (WI-02), Barney Frank (MA-04) and Jared Polis (CO-02).
There's a possibility that openly gay Mayor of Palm Springs Steve Pougnet may join them as the 5th member of the LGBT Caucus from CA-45. Won't you help him get there?
Celebrity Friday: Nancy Pelosi
Today, Friday March 26th is the 70th birthday of Speaker of the U.S. House Nancy Pelosi. On Sunday night, she presided over the final passage of the most sweeping social justice legislation in over 40 years, Obama's national health care reform bill. Let's hope she has a good celebration of her 70th birthday!Pssst, Nancy! We still expect ENDA and DPBO to pass before November. Don't let us down.
Federal hate crimes legislation passes U.S.House
The federal hate crimes act passed the U.S. House Thursday by a vote of 281-146 and goes to a final ratification by the U.S. Senate early next week. October 12 will be the 10th anniversary of the death of Matthew Shepard, for whom the act is named.
From The New York Times:
From The New York Times:
The hate-crime provision had passed both the House and Senate in previous years as a separate bill, but the bill could never clear its final hurdles. Speaker Nancy Pelosi said it was fitting that Congress was acting now because Monday is the 11th anniversary of Mr. Shepard’s death. The legislation is known as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Hate Crimes Prevention Act, for Mr. Shephard and a black man who was killed in a race-based attack in Texas the same year.Of course, now the Republicans are claiming the hate crimes bill is unconstitutional if Obama signs the DOD Authorization into law next week, as expected. I guess they are hoping the Roberts court will revisit the unanimous precedent set in Wisconsin v. Mitchell in 1993? Bring. It. On.
“When I came to Congress 22 years ago, hate-crimes legislation was one of the items on my agenda,” Ms. Pelosi said.
The hate-crimes legislation allocates $5 million a year to the Justice Department to provide assistance to local communities in investigating such crimes, a process that can sometimes strain local police resources. It allows the Justice Department to assist in the investigation and prosecution of such crimes if asked to do so by local authorities.
Federal Anti-Hate Crimes Bill Passes U.S. House
The final vote tay to pass the hate crimes bill in the U.S. House was 249-175. However, the blogosphere is melting down about the North Carolina congresswoman who in speaking against the bill claimed the Mathew Shepard incident was a hoax:
As someone else said, "Fire her!"
As someone else said, "Fire her!"
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