LGBT Equality & Civil Rights

Today, Representatives Jared Polis (D-CO), Barney Frank (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and David Cicilline (D-RI), co-chairs of the LGBT Equality Caucus; and Representative Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, and Representative John Conyers (D-MI), ranking Democrat on the Judiciary Committee, announced the re-introduction of the Respect for Marriage Act in the House, with 108 original co-sponsors, including Democratic Leaders Nancy Pelosi (D-... Read more

Today, Rep. Jared Polis (D-Colo.) and U.S. Sen. Al Franken (D-Minn.) held a press conference to announce that they have reintroduced legislation that would help protect public school students from bullying, harassment, and discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Also attending the press conference were Wendy Walsh, whose 13-year-old son, Seth, took his own life after being bullied at school and Ellen Kahn from the Human Rights Campaign. “Education is the right of every stu... Read more

Today, in response to the announcement that the Bipartisan House Legal Advisory Group (BLAG), by a 3-2 vote over the objections of House Democratic Leaders Nancy Pelosi and Steny Hoyer, directed the House General Counsel to defend the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Barney Frank (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jared Polis (D-CO), David Cicilline (D-RI), and John Conyers (D-MI) issued the following joint statement: “This 3-2 vote, carried over th... Read more

Today, in response to House Speaker John Boehner’s announcement that he will convene a meeting of the Bipartisan House Legal Advisory Group (BLAG) for the purpose of initiating action to defend the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) in court, Representatives Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Barney Frank (D-MA), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jared Polis (D-CO), David Cicilline (D-RI), and John Conyers (D-MI) issued the following joint statement: “The President correctly concluded last week that the Department of ... Read more

In response to the Administration’s conclusion that Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage (Act), a bill that restricts the federal definition of marriage to one man and one woman, is unconstitutional, Congressman Jared Polis released the following statement. “I applaud the Administration for finally recognizing what my colleagues and I have long criticized—that this is a discriminatory, unjust law. I am confident that today’s decision will secure a path to equality for every American wishing to p... Read more

Today, Congressman Polis took to the floor of the House of Representatives to commend the repeal of the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell Act, which would allow lesbian and gay Americans to now serve openly in our Armed Forces. Text of Congressman Polis’ floor speech follows: Madame Speaker, I just returned from the signing of the repeal of Don’t ask, Don’t Tell. The President spoke wisely and strongly and welcomed those that were discharged under the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy to consider reenlisting. Pr... Read more

Madame Speaker, I just returned from the signing of the repeal of Don’t ask, Don’t Tell. The President spoke wisely and strongly and welcomed those that were discharged under the Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy to consider reenlisting. President Obama said, there will never be a full accounting of the heroism demonstrated by gay Americans in service to this country. He continued, as the first generation to serve openly in our armed services you will stand for all of those who came before you and yo... Read more

In a final push to repeal “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” (DADT) before the 111th Congress comes to a close, Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) today urged his colleagues to support a House version of stand-alone legislation pending in the Senate that would immediately repeal DADT and empower the Defense Department to end this harmful and discriminatory policy. Although the House passed legislation repealing DADT earlier this year, the passage of identical House legislation today leaves the Senate with virt... Read more

Congressman Jared Polis Remarks in Support of H.R. 2965, Repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” Wednesday, December 15, 2010 I rise today in support of the repeal of the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” policy. This resolution would ensure that the military has the ability to implement the recommendation from its recently completed study. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is the only law in the country that requires people to be dishonest or be fired if they choose to be honest. It’s a law that not only is hurtful to t... Read more

Senators Bob Casey and Al Franken and Representatives Jared Polis and Linda Sánchez were joined by singer Clay Aiken, Dancing with the Stars' Louis Van Amstel, and Sirdeaner Walker and Tammy Aaberg, two mothers who lost their sons to suicide after they faced in-school bullying, to stress the importance two bills that address bullying and harassment of students in schools. The Student Non-Discrimination Act, modeled after Title IX, introduced by Rep. Jared Polis and Sen. Al Franken, would provide... Read more