human rights campaign 107th congressional scorecard

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SCORECARD FOR 107TH CONGRESSHOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

1) EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT,

H.R. 2692 (CO-SPONSORSHIP)All 435 members of the House of Representatives were asked to co-sponsor legislationintroduced July 31, 2001, that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orienta-tion in the workplace. As of Oct. 4, 2002, H.R. 2692 had 194 co-sponsors: Democrats 172; Republicans 21; independent 1.

2) LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ENHANCEMENT ACT,

H.R. 1343 (CO-SPONSORSHIP)Formerly known as the Hate Crimes Prevention Act.All House members we reasked to co-sponsor legislation introduced April 3, 2001, that would expand federaljurisdiction to serious, violent hate crimes committed because of real or perceived sex-

ual orientation, gender and disability. As of Oct. 4, 2002, H.R. 1343 had 206 co-sponsors: Democrats 182; Republicans 23; independent 1.

3) NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICYRepresentatives were asked to voluntarily adopt a written policy for their congressionaloffices indicating that sexual orientation is not a factor in their employment decisions.As of Oct. 4, 2002, a total of 268 representatives had adopted a non-discriminationpolicy: Democrats 192; Republicans 75; independent 1.

4) MOTION TO RECOMMIT ON H.R. 7Rep. John Conyers, D-Mich., introduced a motion July 19, 2001, to send H.R. 7 abill to make faith-based initiatives exempt from state and local civil rights laws back

to the Judiciary Committee with instructions to add language stating that no provi-sions supersede state or local civil rights laws. The House defeated this motion by avote of 195-234. Four representatives did not vote. Democrats 190 yes/17 no;Republicans 4 yes/216 no; independents 1 yes/1 no. HRC supported this motion.

5) WELDON AMENDMENT TO H.R. 2944Rep. Dave Weldon, R-Fla., introduced an amendment Sept. 25, 2001, to the District ofColumbia appropriations bill that would have banned the expenditure of local funds toimplement the Health Care Benefits Expansion Act of 1992, which would create a city-wide registry for domestic partners and allow city employees to buy health insurance fortheir domestic partners at their own expense. The House defeated this amendment by avote of 194-226. Ten members did not vote. Democrats 18 yes/184 no; Republicans

175 yes/41 no; independents 1 yes/1 no. HRC opposed this amendment.

Awoman is fired from her job for placing a photo of her female partner onher desk. A young, HIV-positive man cant afford lifesaving drugs. A manis viciously beaten just for being gay. Hospital officials bar a woman from

visiting her dying partner. A man whose life partner was killed in the Sept. 11, 2001,terrorist attacks is denied compensation from a victims fund.

These are the realities of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender people in Americatoday. We dont ask for special treatment only basic fairness, regardless of sexualorientation or gender identity. The Human Rights Campaign works hard to electcandidates who believe in fairness and equal rights for all Americans and will fightto end discrimination and violence.

HRCs strength is based on a winning strategy of building support among main-stream voters, reaching out to fair-minded officials, regardless of their party, andtaking on extremists with every tool available.

On Nov. 5, 2002, Americans will elect a new Congress. Just a few votes will decidemany races. Now more than ever, GLBT Americans along with our allies will factorheavily in the outcome. HRC wants to provide you with the information you need.Use this scorecard to evaluate your senators and representative. Contact them onissues that are critical to you. The U.S. Capitol Switchboard is 202/224-3121. Justask for your lawmaker by name.

Now is the time to let your voice be heard.

Winnie StachelbergHRC Political Director

Human Rights Campaign, 919 18th St., Ste. 800, N.W., Washington, D.C. 20006phone202/628-4160fax202/347-5323 websitewww.hrc.orgTTY202/216-1572

Also available online at www.hrc.org/congress/107/scorecard.pdf


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6) MOTION TO TABLE ALLEN AMENDMENT TO H.R. 2944Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., offered a motion Nov. 7, 2001, to table (block) Sen.George Allens, R-Va., amendment to H.R. 2944, the FY 2002 District of Columbiaappropriations bill. Allens amendment would have inserted language into the bill toprohibit the use of federal or local funds for any needle exchange programs. Themotion passed, 53-47. Democrats 47 yes/3 no; Republicans 5 yes/44 no; inde-pendent 1 yes. HRC supported this motion.

7) LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ENHANCEMENT ACT,S. 625, MOTION TO INVOKE CLOTUREThe Senate voted on a motion June 11, 2002, to invoke cloture on the Local LawEnforcement Enhancement Act. Cloture limits debate and allows a vote on a bill whilepreventing opponents from offering unrelated amendments. The only way to havestopped a filibuster and allowed the Senate to debate and vote on the hate crimes billwould have been for 60 senators to vote yes on the cloture motion. The motionfailed, 54-43. Three senators did not vote: Democrats 49 yes/1 no; Republicans 4yes/42 no; independent 1 yes. HRC supported this motion.

SIGNIFICANT VOTES NOTED BUT NOT SCORED:

HELMS AMENDMENT TO S. 1Sen. Jesse Helms, R-N.C., offered an amendment June 14, 2001, to the Elementaryand Secondary Education Act, S. 1, to require federal education funds to be withheldfrom any public elementary and secondary school that bars the Boy Scouts of Americafrom using school facilities. This amendment passed, 51-49. Democrats 8 yes/42 no;Republicans 43 yes/6 no; independent 1 no. HRC opposed this amendment.

ASHCROFT CONFIRMATIONThe Senate voted Feb. 1, 2001, on President Bushs nomination of John Ashcroft ofMissouri to be U.S. attorney general. The nomination was confirmed, 58-42.Democrats 8 yes/42 no; Republicans 50 yes/0. HRC opposed this nomination.

SIGNIFICANT CO-SPONSORSHIP NOTED BUT NOT SCORED:

* DENOTES CO-SPONSORSHIP OF EARLY TREATMENT OF HIV ACT, S. 987

Sen. Robert Torricelli, D-N.J., introduced the Early Treatment for HIV Act on June 5,2001, which would expand Medicaid to people living with HIV and provide stateswith the option to cover low-income HIV-infected individuals as categorically needy. As of Oct. 4, 2002, the measure had 11 co-sponsors; Democrats 9; Republicans 2;independent 0. (See note below.)

1) EMPLOYMENT NON-DISCRIMINATION ACT,S. 1284 (CO-SPONSORSHIP)All 100 senators were asked to co-sponsor legislation introduced July 31, 2001, thatwould ban discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace. As of Oct. 4,2002, S.1284 had 45 co-sponsors: Democrats 40; Republicans 4; independent 1.

2) LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT ENHANCEMENT ACT,S. 625 (CO-SPONSORSHIP)Formerly known as the Hate Crimes Prevention Act.All 100 senators were asked toco-sponsor legislation introduced April 3, 2001, that would expand federal jurisdictionto reach serious, violent hate crimes committed because of real or perceived sexual ori-entation, gender and disability. As of Oct. 4, 2002, S. 625 had 51 co-sponsors:Democrats 44; Republicans 6; independent 1.

3) FEINSTEIN RESOLUTION ADDING SEXUAL ORIENTATION TO

ANTI-DISCRIMINATION SECTION OF SENATE RULES, S. RES. 294(CO-SPONSORSHIP)All 100 senators were asked to co-sponsor legislation introduced June 27, 2002, bySen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., to add sexual orientation to race, color, religion,sex, national origin, age, or state of physical handicap in the anti-discrimination sec-tion of the Senates Standing Rules on Employment Practices. As of Oct. 4, 2002, S.Res. 294 had 44 co-sponsors: Democrats 39; Republicans 4; independent 1.

4) NON-DISCRIMINATION POLICYAll senators were asked to voluntarily adopt a written policy for their congressionaloffices indicating that sexual orientation is not a factor in their employment decisions.As of Oct. 4, 2002, 68 senators had adopted a non-discrimination policy: Democrats

44; Republicans 23; independent 1.

5) BOXER AMENDMENT TO S. 1Sen. Barbara Boxer, D-Calif., offered an amendment June 14, 2001, to the Elementaryand Secondary Education Act, S. 1, that would substitute the text of previous amend-ments to the bill so that public elementary or secondary schools and local or state edu-cational agencies may not deny specified youth groups, such as the Boy Scouts ofAmerica, access to meet after school in a designated open forum, based on their posi-tion on sexual orientation. This amendment passed, 52-47. Democrats 47 yes/2 no;Republicans 4 yes/45 no; independent 1 yes. HRC supported this amendment.

SCORECARD FOR 107TH CONGRESSTHE SENATE

Note:Although HRC has not included co-sponsorship of this bill in members official scores for the 107th Congress,we will do so in the next scorecard issued at the end of the first session of the 108th Congress. For an up-to-date list ofco-sponsors on this and other bills, please visit www.hrc.org/actioncenter.


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human rights campaign 107th congressional scorecard

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