Tell Senators to Co-Sponsor the Student Non-Discrimination Act

Senator Al Franken (D) Minnesota introduced the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) along with 22 other senate co-sponsors of the legislation. The bill will prohibit discrimination and harassment and provide for a learning environment that values respect and acceptance for all.

According to GLSEN:

Nearly 9 out of 10 LGBT students (86.2%) experience harassment at school because of their sexual orientation, and 60.8% feel unsafe at school because of their sexual orientation, according to GLSEN's 2007 National School Climate Survey.

The harassment clearly affects students' ability to learn. A third of LGBT students (32.7%) missed a day of school in the past month because of feeling unsafe, five times higher than a national sample of all students.

The following is a list of senators currently co-sponsoring the bill:

SNDA is co-sponsored by Senators Barbara Mikulski (D-Md.), Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), John Kerry (D-Mass.), Tom Harkin (D-Iowa), Bob Casey (D-Pa.), Patty Murray (D-Wash.), Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.), Russ Feingold (D-Wisc.), Ben Cardin (D-Md.), Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.), Maria Cantwell (D-Wash.), Sherrod Brown (D-Ohio), Chris Dodd (D-Conn.), Mark Begich (D-Alaska), Dick Durbin (D-Ill.), Frank Lautenberg (D-N.J.), Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), Robert Menedez (D-N.J.), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-R.I.), Ron Wyden (D-Ore.), and Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii).

Please make sure to urge your senators to join in co-sponsoring this important piece of legislation.

Contact your senators by email or by phone at (202) 224-3121.

Also be sure to lobby your congressmember on SNDA a similar bill in the house under HR 4530.

Senate Poised to Act on Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Bill

Time is of the essence and senators can vote as early as today on whether to add an amendment to Defense Authorization Bill that would also pass the Matthew Shepard Hate Crimes Act (S. 909). The house has previously passed the bill in April and President Obama promises to sign the bill into law should it reach his desk.

This bill expands the coverage of existing hate crime laws to include hate crimes based on the victim's actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability. It also provides the federal government jurisdiction to prosecute hate crimes in states where current law or local law enforcement action are inadequate.

Click here to find contact info for your two state senators and urge them to vote in the affirmative or call (202) 224-3121 and ask the operator to connect you to your senators.

The 'Yes I do' Campaign

eQualityGiving has begun their "Yes, I Do" campaign to get US House and Senate members to declare their support for marriage equality. They have researched current Members of Congress who support full marriage equality. So far there are 27 Members of Congress representing 15 states. You can read who they are, as well as their quotes.

Furthermore, if you know of a Member of Congress who supports marriage equality but is not listed, there is a way to notify them using the same page, so he or she can be added immediately.

If your Members of Congress have not issued public statements supporting marriage equality, this is the time to contact them. These are new times; change is in the air.

Check out a listing of congress members supporting marriage equality.

Tell your Senator that NOW is the time to abolish the HIV Travel Ban!

"We are so close to ending the inhumane HIV Travel Ban, which prevents individuals living with HIV from traveling to or becoming citizens of the United States. By writing your lawmakers today, you can help ensure that they keep the removal of the ban in PEPFAR legislation, and help us end this unjust policy.

Tell your Senator that it is time for the U.S. to stop discriminating based on HIV status - they need to ensure the discriminatory HIV Travel Ban is abolished."

Please fill out the e-contact form below to message your rep:
http://www.hrcactioncenter.org/campaign/hivtravelban