GLBT Civil Rights

My Background 

It has been twelve years since I stood on the floor of the Iowa House to address a proposed bill to prohibit so-called “same-sex marriage.” The speech received national attention and has been printed in numerous publications, including textbooks. It also landed me a place in the “And Marriage for All” deck of cards. I said then that this issue was the civil rights issue of that decade. Even though more than a decade has passed and we have made great progress, discrimination against members of the GLBT community remains a key civil rights priority.

During that speech, I discussed how hatred grows out of fear, and fear out of ignorance. Because of the societal prejudice in my own upbringing, I used to fear homosexuals. But in my evolving experience, familiarity has displaced ignorance and dispelled fear. I now count as friends many same-sex couples. Some have children. Most are in long-term, stable relationships. All are decent, kind, normal people. I don’t judge the integrity of what they do in their bedroom, and to their credit, they've never judged the integrity of what I do in mine. 

Opponents of gay marriage tell us we need legislation to protect ourselves from this kind of marriage, but what are they trying to protect heterosexual marriages from? There isn't a limited amount of love in Iowa. It isn't a non-renewable resource. If Amy and Barbara or Mike or Steve love each other, it doesn't mean John and Mary can't. Marriage licenses aren't distributed on a first-come, first-served basis here in Iowa. Heterosexual couples don't have to rush out and claim marriage licenses now, before they are all snatched up by gay and lesbian couples. 

Heterosexual unions are and will continue to be predominant, regardless of what gay and lesbian couples do. To suggest that homosexual couples in any way, shape or form threaten to undermine the stability of heterosexual unions is absurd. All the GLBT community is asking for is acceptance. They want the same basic civil equality that all Americans yearn for and are entitled to. 

I have a clear and consistent record in support of GLBT issues. Because of my outspoken support, Congressman Barney Frank invited me to testify to Congress against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in 1996. And, in this campaign, I am pleased to have received the endorsement of eQuality Giving, the online donor community for GLBT concerns.  

My opponent in this race, Leonard Boswell, has a mixed record. The Human Rights Campaign gave him a score of 75% in December 2006, and in a recent invitation to a fundraising reception with Congressman Barney Frank aimed at GLBT voters, Congressman Boswell portrays himself as a strong supporter of GLBT issues.[i]  The record says otherwise.

·         In the letter, Congressman Boswell spoke of his support for overturning the military’s “Don’t Ask; Don’t Tell” policy. But a bill was introduced in the House over a year ago to do precisely that and he has yet to sign on as a cosponsor (H.R. 1246, introduced on 02/28/07).

·         Although he has cosponsored the Employee Non-Discrimination Act of 2007 (ENDA), Congressman Boswell has yet to cosponsor two bills by Congressman Frank – H.R. 3686, which prohibits employment discrimination based on gender identity (introduced 09/27/07) and H.R. 3685, which prohibits employment discrimination based on sexual orientation (introduced 09/27/07).

·         Congressman Boswell has yet to cosponsor H.R. 2232, which clarifies the Federal Employment Protections Act to affirm that federal employees cannot be discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation (introduced 05/09/07).

·         Congressman Boswell has yet to cosponsor H.R. 2792, which would include domestic partners in the Family and Medical Leave Act (introduced 06/20/07).

·         Congressman Boswell has yet to cosponsor H.R. 1820 to amend the Internal Revenue Code to extend the exclusion from gross income for employer-provided health coverage for employees’ spouses and dependent children to coverage provided to other eligible designated beneficiaries of employees (introduced 03/29/07).

·         Congressman Boswell has yet to sponsor H.R. 1542 to provide paid sick leave to ensure that all Americans can address their own health needs and the health needs of their families (introduced 03/15/07).

·         Congressman Boswell has yet to sponsor H.R. 2221 eliminate discrimination in immigration laws by permitting permanent partners of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents to obtain lawful permanent resident status in the same manner as spouses of citizens and lawful permanent residents and to penalize immigration fraud in connection with permanent partnerships (introduced 05/08/07).  

Solutions

Banning employment discrimination: I would cosponsor ENDA, which prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity, but I would amend it to include transgendered people, who are likely to be left behind if they are they are made the subject of a separate bill.

Banning discrimination in family and medical leave: I will cosponsor and vote for H.R. 2792 and H.R. 1542. 

Banning discrimination in taxation: I will cosponsor and support H.R. 1820.  

Hate crimes legislation: I support H.R. 1592, the Matthew Shepard Act, which provides federal assistance for prosecuting hate crimes.  

Overturning “don’t ask, don’t tell”: I will cosponsor and vote for H.R. 1246 to overturn the current military policy of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” that allows the military to discriminate against gays and lesbians. It is not only a violation of civil rights – it compromises our national security. In the midst of fighting a war in which the military continues to face a critical shortage of Arabic translators, it has nonetheless discharged a number of such translators on the basis of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy.  

Politicians are elected not to follow but to lead. We're elected to cast what might sometimes be a difficult, challenging, and politically inexpedient vote. We're elected to represent our constituents when they're right, and to vote our consciences regardless of whether our constituents are right. Over the years, this has required politicians to stand against slavery, to support women’s suffrage and the civil rights movement, and to abolish restrictive marriage laws banning inter-racial marriages.  

I believe that when Americans are at our best, we want public officials to stand up for civil rights regardless of how unpopular it may appear. As a state representative and community leader, I did that. As your congressman, I will continue to do that in Washington.