Press

MEDIA CONTACT:
Roberta Sklar, Director of Communications
media@theTaskForce.org
646.358.1465

Dear Task Force Friends:

Stand up for equality!

Fast on the heels of Bush's endorsement of the blatantly discriminatory so-called "federal marriage amendment," Congress is now moving to write discrimination into the Constitution. Among the first steps in this process are congressional hearings. Tomorrow, Wednesday, March 3 at 10 a.m. Eastern Standard Time, the Senate Judiciary Constitution Subcommittee has scheduled a hearing entitled "Judicial Activism vs. Democracy: What are the National Implications of the Massachusetts Goodridge Decision and the Judicial Invalidation of Traditional Marriage Laws?"

As our sister organization, Family Pride Coalition said, based on that title, it should be no surprise that the witness list is stacked with those who will argue that marriage equality for gay and lesbian couples somehow endangers "traditional marriage" laws. The Committee Chairman did not invite gay and lesbian couples or their families to testify. (It's easier to demonize gays and lesbians and their families when they're not in the room.)

However, these hearings are public. The media will be there. We're asking you to be there as well. Attend the hearing and by your presence remind Congress of the human cost of this misguided proposal. There are certain to be crowds of people from both sides of this issue in attendance at the hearing tomorrow, and while you may not get a seat in the hearing room, your presence outside the Dirksen Building is just as important.

Again, the hearing will take place in room 226 of the Senate Dirksen Building. Located northeast of the Capitol on a site bounded by Constitution Avenue, C Street, First Street, and Second Street N.E., it adjoins the Hart Senate Office Building. For those Task Force members not in the DC area, we kindly ask that your forward this message to friends and family in the area.

This hearing is being broadcast live on the internet. You can access it at: http://judiciary.senate.gov. Please tune into the hearing and let your friends and family know about it.

ACTIONS

If your Senator is a member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, (see below listing), ask that they do 2 things:

#1 attend the hearing and
#2 speak out against the discriminatory Federal Marriage Amendment.

Senate Judiciary Committee Members

Republicans:
Orrin Hatch, UT....................(202) 224-5251
Charles Grassley, IA...............(202) 224-3744
Arlen Specter, PA..................(202) 224-4254
Jon Kyl, AZ........................(202) 224-4521
Mike DeWine, OH....................(202) 224-2315
Jeff Sessions, AL..................(202) 224-4124
Lindsey Graham, SC.................(202) 224-5972
Larry Craig, ID....................(202) 224-2752
Saxby Chambliss, GA................(202) 224-3521
John Cornyn, TX....................(202) 224-2934

Democrats:
Patrick Leahy, VT..................(202) 224-4242
Edward Kennedy, MA.................(202) 224-4543
Joseph Biden, DE...................(202) 224-5042
Herbert Kohl, WI...................(202) 224-5653
Dianne Feinstein, CA...............(202) 224-3841
Russell Feingold, WI...............(202) 224-5323
Charles Schumer, NY................(202) 224-6542
Richard Durbin, IL.................(202) 224-2152
John Edwards, NC...................(202) 224-3154

If your Senator is not a member of the Senate Judiciary, you can still take action by calling them and asking them to stand up against discrimination and for equality by speaking out against the so-called "federal marriage amendment."

Also, Wednesday night at 5:45pm there will be a rally and press conference featuring various community leaders, including National Gay and Lesbian Task Force Deputy Executive Director Rea Carey. Please spread the word.

Human Rights Campaign offices
1640 Rhode Island Ave., NW
Washington DC
(between Rhode Island and 17th St.)
Metro: Farragut North or Dupont South (red line)

For more information on the struggle for equal marriage rights, log on to the Task Force Marriage Information Resource Center at http://www.TheTaskForce.org/marriagecenter.

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The mission of the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force is to build the political power of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community from the ground up. We do this by training activists, organizing broad-based campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance pro-LGBT legislation, and by building the organizational capacity of our movement. Our Policy Institute, the movement’s premier think tank, provides research and policy analysis to support the struggle for complete equality and to counter right-wing lies. As part of a broader social justice movement, we work to create a nation that respects the diversity of human expression and identity and creates opportunity for all. Headquartered in Washington, D.C., we also have offices in New York City, Los Angeles, Miami, Minneapolis and Cambridge.