Gay U.S. Congressmembers Urge DADT Veto Threat

There are currently four openly gay members of Congress, out of 535 total, Rep. Barney Frank (MA-05), Rep. Jared Polis (CO-02), Rep. Tammy Baldwin (WI-02) and Rep. David Cicilline (RI-01). All four have signed a letter to President Obama urging him to issue an official veto threat of the National Defense Authorization Act of 2012 if it is not stripped of it's provisions which would prevent the certification (and thus completion) of the repeal of DADT, the anti-gay policy which prevents open military service by lesbian, gay and bisexual Americans.

Pam Spaulding posted the letter to Scribd:
06-03-11 Letter to President Re DADT

There are other odious provisions in the Defense Authorization bill (such as a reiteration of the Defense of Marriage Act and a prohibition of solemnizing marriages on military bases in states which allow same-sex marriages) which the White House has already expressed its opposition to, but this is a step below a veto threat in the Washington-based kabuki dance of how provisions become federal law.

That is probably why the 4 openly LGBT representatives to specifically ask for a veto threat. It should be noted that there is no way that a provision to prevent the repeal of DADT can become law without President Obama's affirmation. I am confident that will not happen, and DADT will be gone by the end of the year.

Hat/tip to Pam's House Blend.

The First Openly Lesbian U.S. Senator?

U.S. Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) has won every election
she has contested as an openly gay candidate

With the news that U.S. Senator Herb Kohl (D-Wis.) has announced his retirement, all eyes have turned to openly lesbian Congressmember Tammy Baldwin who has signaled her interest in running for the soon-to-be-open Senate seat.

If she wins, Baldwin would become the highest openly LGBT elected official in the United States. The Victory Fund, which supports openly LGBT candidates for elected office, had this to say:

“This would obviously be a top priority for us.  Tammy Baldwin has been an outstanding congresswoman, and she’d be an outstanding senator,” said Chuck Wolfe, president and CEO of the Gay & Lesbian Victory Fund, which has endorsed Baldwin repeatedly.  In 1998, when Baldwin became the first openly LGBT candidate to win election to the U.S. Congress as a freshman, the Victory Fund raised nearly a quarter million dollars for her campaign.

“This would be a remarkable milestone for LGBT Americans.  Congresswoman Baldwin is one of the most admired public officials I know.  She would have the strong support of those who want to see our economy work for all Americans, and who believe that all voices deserve a place at the table,” Wolfe said.

There is a petition urging Tammy Baldwin to run, along with the twitter hashtag #runtammyrun.