The letter states, “tens of thousands of binational families are either already living separately, face imminent separation, or have left the U.S. entirely in order to remain together. This is unacceptable, and we believe comprehensive immigration reform legislation must include a strong family reunification component inclusive of LGBT families.”

The current immigration law does not allow LGBT Americans to sponsor their partners – mainly due to a lack of marriage recognition.

According to 2000 Census data compiled by the Williams Institute, a UCLA-based think tank that focuses on sexual orientation, more than 36,000 LGBT binational Americans would benefit by having the ability to sponsor their partners for residency. And almost half of those families – 47 percent – are raising children.

Until changes are made, the members of Congress contend the current situation is punishing families.

“No one should be forced to choose between the person they love and the country they call home.” the letter states. “It is time that our immigration laws kept families together instead of tearing them apart.”

Currently at least 20 countries, including Canada, the United Kingdom and Israel, allow citizens and legal residents to sponsor their same-sex partners for immigration purposes, according to the Williams Institute.

Democratic senators Russ Feingold of Wisconsin and Ben Cardin of Maryland, in cooperation with Republican senators Tom Coburn of Oklahoma and Susan Collins of Maine jointly issued the resolution in the Senate. A House version was introduced by California Democrat Howard Berman.

Both bills condemn Uganda’s legislation and urge the nation’s Parliament to abandon the bill. In addition, the bills urge other countries to reject laws that make homosexuality a punishable crime.

It is interesting to note that Sen. Coburn is tied to “The Fellowship,” a conservative Christian group that sponsored Thursday’s National Prayer Breakfast. In addition, David Bahati, the Ugandan lawmakers sponsoring the anti-gay legislation, is a member of the Fellowship.

Dozens of members of Congress, including Wisconsin’s openly lesbian Tammy Baldwin have already signed on in support of the resolutions.

“The proposed Ugandan bill not only threatens human rights, it also reverses so many of the gains that Uganda has made in the fight against HIV/AIDS,” Baldwin said in a statement on Thursday. “This issue has united leaders of different political and religious views in Uganda and worldwide in one common belief in the rights of all human beings regardless of sexual orientation.”

Speaking to an international conference of gay politicians in San Francisco, U.S. Reps. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., and Jared Polis, D-Colo., said they expect a domestic partner benefits bill to come up for a vote by the end of the year and the employment bill to reach the floor early in 2010.

The lawmakers said they are also confident that the House will include in the annual military spending bill next year a provision to repeal the law that bans gays from serving in the U.S. military. All the measures face a harder time in the Senate following the death of longtime ally Sen. Edward Kennedy, but Baldwin and Polis said they remained optimistic.

“I’m hopeful we will see those three pieces of legislation make it all the way, or damn close,” said Baldwin, who is sponsoring the federal worker domestic partner bill.

Office of Personnel Management director John Berry, the Obama administration’s highest ranking gay appointee, told the conference that the president strongly supports the trio of gay rights measures.

Including transgender workers as part of the legislation to ban job discrimination and lifting the “don’t ask, don’t tell” ban on gay service members may especially meet opposition in Congress, Berry said. But he said that with a Democrat in the White House and Democratic majorities controlling the House and the Senate, victories were “within our grasp.”

“The tide of public opinion is in our favor. The forces of intolerance are on the run. We have a president who has been clear in his support for our community and in his commitment to our equality,” Berry said. “This is the best opportunity we will ever have as a community, and shame on us if we don’t succeed.”

Although gay activists have criticized President Barack Obama for not moving more quickly on their concerns, both Polis and Baldwin said the pressure should be directed at Congress because the president can not act alone.

“LGBT leaders need to be focusing in on the people we need to win over instead of just trying to talk to our friends and being angry they haven’t delivered,” Polis said.

She is an avid supporter of civil rights, energy independence and renewable fuels, stem cell research and the woman’s right to choose.

Baldwin has been working vigorously in the fight for health care reform. She has voiced her opinion on how much the legislation affects the LGBT community, and advises everyone to pay much more attention to the universal health care debate.

Tammy Baldwin earned her law degree in 1989 from the University of Wisconsin Law School, but was first elected to political office in 1986.

She was one of 133 members of the House to vote against the invasion of Iraq and in 2008 she was a superdelegate to Hillary Clinton.

Today, Baldwin lives in Madison, Wisc., with her partner Lauren Azar. She is one of three openly gay members of Congress.

(Washington, D.C.)  Next Tuesday, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) will introduce legislation to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a law which discriminates against lawfully married same-sex couples.

The legislators will be joined by married same-sex couples harmed by DOMA and many of the country’s premier LGBT and civil rights advocates in a press conference to announce the new bill, at 11:00am on Tuesday, September 15, 2009, at the House Triangle, near the southern steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C.

Through DOMA, which was signed into law 13 years ago, on September 21, 1996, the federal government singles out legally married same-sex couples for discriminatory treatment under federal law, selectively denying them more than 1,100 federal protections and responsibilities – including Social Security and immigration benefits – that otherwise apply to married couples.  This policy is discriminatory and harmful to families, preventing the government from honoring its legal commitments and the needs of families, even though these couples have assumed the obligations of civil marriage under state law and contribute as citizens and taxpayers.

President Obama has said recently: “I stand by my long-standing commitment to work with Congress to repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.  It’s discriminatory, it interferes with States’ rights, and it’s time we overturned it.”  Married gay and lesbian couples pay taxes, serve their communities, and raise children like other couples.  Their contributions and needs are no different from those of their neighbors.  The new legislation will ensure that couples who assume the serious legal duties of marriage are treated fairly under federal law.  The specifics of this legislation will be announced on Tuesday.

Coordinated by Committee Chairman Rep. Stephen Lynch (D-MA), the hearing highlighted the important need for equal employment benefits for LGBT federal civilian employees.
 
“This historic hearing is an important step toward guaranteeing equal compensation for lesbian and gay workers serving our government at home and abroad,” said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese, in written testimony.  “Equal pay for equal work is a value fundamental to American opportunity.  The federal government should be the standard bearer for fair workplace practices, but has lagged behind the top employers for too long.  By passing the DPBO, Congress can bring the federal workforce into the 21st century, ensuring that all of its workers are treated fairly and that the best and brightest are attracted to federal service.”
 
The hearing included testimony from several witnesses, including Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI); OPM Director John Berry; Former Ambassador Michael Guest; Carol Wright, VP for Corporate Human Resources at American Airlines; Lee Badgett of the Williams Institute; Candy Holmes, a GAO employee testifying on her own behalf; and Gregory Franklin from the California Public Employees’ Retirement System.
 
“Building and maintaining a strong workforce begins with treating workers fairly.  LGBT federal workers in committed relationships are not offered the same employment benefits as their married coworkers.  This is wrong,” said Rep. Baldwin.  “It is time for the federal government to follow the lead of many private sector employers who value all their workers and provide employee benefits that cover all families.”
 
The Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (DPBO) was introduced in the 111th Congress by Senators Joe Lieberman (ID-CT) and Susan Collins (R-ME) in the Senate and by Representatives Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) in the House. 

 The act would provide the same family benefits to lesbian and gay federal civilian employees as are already provided to employees with different-sex spouses.   To receive benefits, employees would have to submit an affidavit of eligibility for benefits with the Office of Personnel Management, certifying that the employee and domestic partner meet necessary criteria.
 
DPBO would bring employment practices in the federal government in line with those of America’s largest and most successful corporations.  Fifty-seven percent of Fortune 500 companies provide domestic partner benefits to their employees.  In addition, 23 states, the District of Columbia, and over 150 local governments make benefits available to public employees and their same-sex partners.  A May 2000 poll conducted by the Associated Press found that a majority of Americans favor the extension of health insurance coverage to same-sex partners.  In addition, this legislation has been endorsed by the American Federation of Government Employees, American Federation of State, County and Municipal Employees, Harvard University, National Treasury Employees Union and United Church of Christ.
 
“It is time for the federal government to be doing what many Fortune 500 companies have been doing and that is provide federal benefits to gay federal civilian employees as we do with different-sex spouses.  The federal government should be leading by example in this clear case of equal pay for all.  I urge my colleagues to support this bill and send an unequivocal message that the federal government treats all its employees equally,” said Rep. Ros-Lehtinen.

The fundraiser has met with much controversy in response to the Justice Department’s defense of the Defense of Marriage Act. Several other prominent figures have dropped out of the fundraiser because of the Obama administration’s stance on DOMA.

“I will not attend a fundraiser for the National Democratic Party in Washington next week when the current administration is responsible for these kind of actions. How will they ever take us seriously if we keep forking out money while they harm us,” said author and civil rights activist David Mixner last week in a statement after pulling out from the fundraiser. “For now on, my money is going to battles within the community such as the fight in Maine or the March on Washington!”

The Servicemembers Legal Defense Network announced Monday that they will have protesters outside of the event tomorrow.

“SLDN will be calling upon the President to end his silence on ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,’” executive director Aubrey Sarvis released in a statement on SLDN’s website Monday. “We will be wearing and handing out buttons with the number 265, representing the number of service members who will have been discharged this week since President Obama was sworn in.”

Chuck Wolfe, president of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, and Hilary Rosen, the managing partner of the DC office of the Brunswick Group, have also dropped out of the event.

Openly gay elected representatives Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin, and Jared Polis are still scheduled to attend and are listed as three of the top four names on the invitation.

“I’m a Democrat and a proud Democrat. Our party’s not perfect but certainly I will help the Democrats however I can,” Rep. Polis explained to the Advocate on why he is still attending.

“Our current health care system fails LGBT Americans on many levels,” said Baldwin in a statement.

“Although we have ample anecdotal evidence of these disparities, the federal government lacks even the most basic data on sexual orientation and gender identity and health. This bill invests in research and takes critical steps towards improving the health of LGBT Americans and their families,” Baldwin said.

Joining Baldwin in sponsoring the bill are House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA), and Reps. Barbara Lee (D-CA), Mike Honda (D-CA), and Nydia Velazquez (D-NY). Baldwin has worked for more than a year to craft the bill, which she calls “comprehensive” and “fully inclusive.”

In addition to investing in data collection and research, the bill establishes non-discrimination policies for all federal health programs, provides funding for cultural competence training for health care providers, extends Medicare benefits to same-sex domestic partners, creates a new office of LGBT Health within in the Department of Health and Human Services, and provides funding for community health centers who serve the LGBT community.

The legislation has earned the support of the Human Rights Campaign; National Coalition for LGBT Health; The AIDS Institute; Parents, Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays (PFLAG) National; National Center for Transgender Equality; AIDS Action; American Psychological Association; Mautner Project: The National Lesbian Health Organization; and the National Center for Lesbian Rights.

When I last wrote for this site, 2008 was gearing up to be a pretty dreary one for LGBT hopes in electoral politics.

I used the vacation to get out of the house, away from the computer and into a movie theater or two. Seeing Milk (much too late, I agree) did very little to raise my spirits about American politics – the obvious comparison between proposition 8 and proposition 6 is too glaring – but it did cause me to reevaluate my commitment to getting gay individuals into political positions.

Being a gay candidate has never been sufficient to earn my support. Identity politics are essential to the fabric of any society, but they can’t be the be all and end all of a voting strategy.

Still, when the fight for full rights for LGBT Americans is so heated, one wonders if, for now, being gay should be enough. I mean, I felt good about Harvey Milk after two hours of Sean Penn and as far as the movie let on, Milk was for gay rights, against dog poop and not concerned with much else (of course there is more to Milk’s time in office, but the reaction still stands).

So, on New Year’s Day, Sam Adams, the first openly gay mayor of a large city, was sworn into office. It’s a cause for celebration, even if his liberal stance on housing and education upsets you. Visibility, as Milk demonstrated, is essential if this country is going to complete its slow march to civil equality.

At the same time, Tammy Baldwin will be one of the co-chairs for Obama’s inauguration, Kathleen Sibelius, a politician who openly opposed a constitutional ban on gay marriage in her state, is on the short list for Richardson’s replacement as commerce secretary, and Jared Polis has taken the leap from state education politics to Congress.

Perhaps an emphasis on visibility is just a chance to feel a bit hopeful when the mainstream political movement on LGBT issues is on hiatus. Still, the courts can’t win this battle without a little ground support. And nothing indicates ground support like voting for openly gay politicians.

Polis became the third openly gay member of Congress when he was elected to represent Colorado’s heavily Democratic 2nd District. He joins returning gay members of Congress Barney Frank (D-Mass.) and Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.).

But while he is the third gay who will sit in the House, Polis is the first openly gay man to win a seat in Congress as a non-incumbent. Baldwin, who was open about her sexuality when first elected, is the first lesbian elected as a non-incumbent. Frank came out while in Congress.

Polis is one of about 50 newly elected members of Congress who converged on Washington this week. Orientation for the incoming members includes the minutiae of being a member of Congress – how to hire a staff and set up an office, how to conform to ethics rules and what to do in a security situation. They will also have to find housing in a city not known for bargain real estate.

Polis made millions creating Internet-based businesses. At 33, he is one of the youngest members of Congress.

During the campaign, Polis’ sexuality was a non-issue, but nationwide he was closely watched by LGBT advocates.

“Young gays and lesbians who might want to run for office look to examples and role models,” he told the Associated Press during the campaign.

“I think the people chose me for the ideas I articulated, the war in Iraq, the fight for universal health care, and really challenging the status quo,” he told a cheering throng at his victory rally, standing with his partner Marlon Reis.

Previously, Polis was elected statewide to the Colorado State Board of Education from 2001 – 2007. During that time he served a term as vice-chairman and one as chairman.

In 2000, he founded the Jared Polis Foundation, which works to improve and expand access to education. Its annual Teacher Recognition Awards celebrate the enormous commitment and importance of teachers. Hundreds of teachers and their schools receive micro-grants as part of this program.

Polis came out publicly while serving on the Board of Education.

During his tenure on the Board, he successfully worked to establish new ways to help schools close the learning gap, improved access to online education, helped win increased funding for at-risk students, and worked to improve teacher preparation programs at our colleges and universities.

Polis also co-chaired a successful $300 million bond initiative in the Boulder Valley School District to make repairs and upgrades to learning environments across the district as well as improve energy efficiency.

In Congress, Polis is expected to use his background in education policy to help rewrite the No Child Left Behind law.

He also will become part of the bipartisan LGBT Equality Caucus. The caucus was founded in June by Frank and Baldwin along with over fifty gay allies in Congress to lobby for civil rights.

Four major LGBT rights bills are expected to be taken up by the next Congress.

The Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act, named for the 21-year-old college student who was murdered in an anti-gay hate crime in Wyoming in October 1998, would add sexuality to the list of categories covered under federal hate crime law.

The bill passed the House in 2007 and the White House threatened to veto it. In an effort to get around a veto, the Senate version was tied to the 2008 defense authorization bill.  It passed, but then went to conference where it was stripped out.

The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, also passed the House in 2007 but without protections for the transgendered.

The legislation would make it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in hiring, firing, promoting or paying an employee.

When ENDA returns, it is likely to include gender identity protections.

Legislation to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the ban on gays serving openly in the military was taken up in committee this year for the first time, but did not make it to a vote.

DADT was enacted in 1993. Since then, more than 12,000 servicemembers have been dismissed when it was learned they are gay.  According to statistics from the Servicemembers Legal Defense Network, which advocates for gays in the military, an average of two service members are dismissed under the law every day.

It also is widely expected that legislation will be introduced to repeal the so-called federal Defense of Marriage Act, which forbids the federal government from recognizing any form of gay union – marriage, civil union or domestic partnership.

President-elect Barack Obama has said he would sign such a repeal, although no Democrat has so far said such a bill would be advanced.