Press Release
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Federal policy
Press Release
LGBTQ Groups Condemn Anti-Muslim Hearings in the U.S. House of Representatives
(San Francisco, CA, March 11, 2011)—Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights, Equality California, National Center for Transgender Equality, Transgender Law Center, Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders, and Lambda Legal join together to express outrage over U.S. Representative Peter King’s ongoing “Muslim Radicalization” hearings—the first of which was held yesterday—in the House of Representatives. The groups join Americans from many diverse backgrounds to condemn the...Press Release
NCLR Responds to U.S. Supreme Court Ruling Allowing Anti-Gay Protests at Funerals
Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, March 2, 2011)—Today, in an 8-1 decision authored by Chief Justice John G. Roberts, Jr., the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment protects fundamentalist church members who mount anti-gay protests near military funerals, despite the pain they may cause families mourning the loss of their loved ones. The case involved a protest by the Topeka, Kansas-based Westboro Baptist Church at the funeral of a Marine killed...Press Release
NCLR Applauds “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Repeal
Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, December 18, 2010)—Today, the U.S. Senate voted to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the discriminatory 17-year-old policy that bars lesbian, gay, and bisexual people from serving openly in the military. The House approved the measure on Wednesday, December 15. With the Senate’s 65 to 31 vote today, the bill now goes to President Barack Obama, who campaigned on the promise that he would work with Congress to repeal the policy....Press Release
NCLR Appalled at Failed U.S. Senate Vote on “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”
Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, December 9, 2010)—Today, the U.S. Senate voted against a motion to begin debate on the National Defense Authorization Act, which contains a provision to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the 17-year-old federal policy that bars lesbian, gay, and bisexual people from serving openly in the military. A statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell: “It’s shameful and appalling that a small clique of U.S....Press Release
NCLR Applauds Senate Inclusion of Same-Sex Couples and Relief for Youth in Comprehensive Immigration Reform Bill
Statement from Federal Policy Attorney Maya Rupert (San Francisco, CA, September 30, 2010)—Today, Senators Robert Menendez (D-NJ) and Patrick Leahy (D-VT) introduced the Comprehensive Immigration Reform Act of 2010. This legislation, which provides many urgently needed changes to our national immigration law, protects same-sex couples by incorporating the substance of the Uniting Americans Families Act (UAFA), which would grant U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents the right to sponsor...Press Release
NCLR Responds to Senate Failure on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
A statement from Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, September 21, 2010)—Today, the U.S. Senate failed to break a filibuster to start a debate on the National Defense Authorization Act, which contains an amendment that would enable the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, the federal government’s policy barring lesbian, gay, and bisexual people from serving openly in the military. Statement by NCLR Executive Director Kate Kendell: “It is unfathomable that the largest government...Press Release
NCLR Applauds Court Decision Striking Down Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell
A statement from Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, September 09, 2010)—Today, a federal district court judge in the Central District of California held that the federal government’s policy of barring lesbian, gay, and bisexual people from serving openly in the military violates the United States Constitution. In a sweeping decision, Judge Virginia Phillips ruled that the government’s policy—popularly known as Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell—is unconstitutional on its face, and must be...Press Release
NCLR Applauds Court Decision Reinstating Major Margaret Witt to the Air Force
A Statement by Executive Director Kate Kendell (San Francisco, CA, September 24, 2010)—Today, a federal district court judge in Tacoma, Washington held that the discharge of Air Force flight nurse Major Margaret Witt under the federal government’s policy barring lesbian, gay, and bisexual people from serving openly in the military violated the United States Constitution. Judge Ronald B. Leighton ruled that the government violated Major Witt’s constitutional rights by discharging her under the...Press Release