Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus

Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus Members at the Kick-off Press Conference from left to right: Niki Tsongas (D–MA), José Serrano (D–NY), Xavier Becerra (D–CA), Hilda Solis (D–CA), Jerry Nadler (D–NY), Barbara Lee (D–CA), Tammy Baldwin (D–WI), Lois Capps (D–CA), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R–FL), Linda Sánchez (D–CA), Mike Honda (D–CA), James McGovern (D–MA), Barney Frank (D–MA), Chris Shays (R–CT).

The Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus formation was announced on June 4, 2008, by openly gay representatives Tammy Baldwin and Barney Frank.^[1][2] The caucus currently has 112 members (111 Democrats and 1 Republican) in the 113th United States Congress, and previously had 104 members (101 Democrats and 3 Republicans) in the 112th Congress^[3] and 91 members (90 Democrats and 1 Republican) during the 111th Congress.^[4] The caucus is co-chaired by the United States House of Representatives' six openly LGB members: Representatives Jared Polis, David Cicilline, Sean Patrick Maloney, Kyrsten Sinema, Mark Pocan, and Mark Takano. Roddy Flynn serves as Executive Director.

Mission

The mission of the caucus is to work for LGBT rights, the repeal of laws discriminatory against LGBT persons, the elimination of hate-motivated violence, and improved health and well-being for all persons, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity or expression.^[5] The caucus serves as a resource for Members of Congress, their staffs, and the public on LGBT issues.^[5] Unlike the Congressional Black Caucus, famous for admitting only black members, the LGBT Equality Caucus admits any member who is willing to advance LGBT rights, regardless of their sexual identity or orientation.

Equality PAC

In February 2016 the caucus formed the Equality PAC to support candidates running for federal office who are LGBT or seek to advance LGBT rights. Equality PAC has endorsed Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Presidential election.^[6]

History

On March 14, 2016, the board of the Equality PAC voted to endorse Hillary Clinton for president of the United States.^[6]

Membership

List of Caucus members in the 113th Congress:

Co-Chairs David Cicilline (D–Rhode Island) Sean Patrick Maloney (D–New York) Mark Pocan (D–Wisconsin) Jared Polis (D–Colorado) Kyrsten Sinema (D–Arizona) Mark Takano (D–California)

Vice Chairs Joaquin Castro (D–Texas) Diana DeGette (D–Colorado) Joe García (D–Florida) Raúl Grijalva (D–Arizona) Mike Honda (D–California) Joseph P. Kennedy III (D–Massachusetts) Barbara Lee (D–California) Jerry Nadler (D–New York) Adam Schiff (D–California) Henry Waxman (D–California)

Members

• Rob Andrews (D–New Jersey)
• Karen Bass (D–California)
• Xavier Becerra (D–California)
• Tim Bishop (D–New York)
• Earl Blumenauer (D–Oregon)
• Suzanne Bonamici (D–Oregon)
• Bob Brady (D–Pennsylvania)
• Bruce Braley (D–Iowa)
• Lois Capps (D–California)
• Michael Capuano (D–Massachusetts)
• Tony Cardenas (D–California)
• André Carson (D–Indiana)
• Matt Cartwright (D–Pennsylvania)
• Kathy Castor (D–Florida)
• Judy Chu (D–California)
• Yvette Clarke (D–New York)
• Gerry Connolly (D–Virginia)
• John Conyers (D–Michigan)
• Joe Courtney (D–Connecticut)
• Joseph Crowley (D–New York)
• Susan Davis (D–California)
• Peter DeFazio (D–Oregon)
• Ted Deutch (D–Florida)
• Michael F. Doyle (D–Pennsylvania)
• Keith Ellison (D–Minnesota)
• Eliot Engel (D–New York)
• Anna Eshoo (D–California)
• Bill Foster (D–Illinois)
• Lois Frankel (D–Florida)
• Tulsi Gabbard (D–Hawaii)
• Luis Gutierrez (D–Illinois)
• Janice Hahn (D–California)
• Colleen Hanabusa (D–Hawaii)
• Alcee Hastings (D–Florida)
• Brian Higgins (D–New York)
• Jim Himes (D–Connecticut)
• Rush D. Holt, Jr. (D–New Jersey)
• Jared Huffman (D–California)
• Steve Israel (D–New York)
• Eddie Bernice Johnson (D–Texas)
• Hank Johnson (D–Georgia)
• William R. Keating (D–Massachusetts)
• Dan Kildee (D–Michigan)
• Derek Kilmer (D–Washington)
• Ann McLane Kuster (D–New Hampshire)
• James Langevin (D–Rhode Island)
• Sander Levin (D–Michigan)
• John Lewis (D–Georgia)
• David Loebsack (D–Iowa)
• Zoe Lofgren (D–California)
• Alan Lowenthal (D–California)
• Michelle Lujan Grisham (D–New Mexico)
• Stephen Lynch (D–Massachusetts)
• Dan Maffei (D–New York)
• Carolyn Maloney (D–New York)
• Betty McCollum (D–Minnesota)
• Jim McDermott (D–Washington)
• Jim McGovern (D–Massachusetts)
• George Miller (D–California)
• Gwen Moore (D–Wisconsin)
• Patrick Murphy (D–Florida)
• Eleanor Holmes Norton (D–District of Columbia)
• Beto O'Rourke (D–Texas)
• Frank Pallone (D–New Jersey)
• Bill Pascrell (D–New Jersey)
• Ed Perlmutter (D–Colorado)
• Scott Peters (D–California)
• Chellie Pingree (D–Maine)
• Mike Quigley (D–Illinois)
• Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R–Florida)
• Lucille Roybal-Allard (D–California)
• Raul Ruiz (D–California)
• Linda Sánchez (D–California)
• John Sarbanes (D–Maryland)
• Jan Schakowsky (D–Illinois)
• Brad Schneider (D–Illinois)
• Allyson Schwartz (D–Pennsylvania)
• Bobby Scott (D–Virginia)
• José Enrique Serrano (D–New York)
• Carol Shea-Porter (D–New Hampshire)
• Brad Sherman (D–California)
• Louise Slaughter (D–New York)
• Adam Smith (D–Washington)
• Jackie Speier (D–California)
• Eric Swalwell (D–California)
• Dina Titus (D–Nevada)
• Paul Tonko (D–New York)
• Niki Tsongas (D–Massachusetts)
• Chris Van Hollen (D–Maryland)
• Juan Vargas (D–California)
• Marc Veasey (D–Texas)
• Nydia Velázquez (D–New York)
• Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D–Florida)
• Peter Welch (D–Vermont)
• Frederica Wilson (D–Florida)
• Richard L. Hanna (R–New York)

Former members

• Neil Abercrombie (D–Hawaii; resigned to run for Governor of Hawaii in 2010)
• Gary Ackerman (D–New York; retired in 2013)
• Tammy Baldwin (D–Wisconsin; elected to Senate in 2012)
• Shelley Berkley (D–Nevada; unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2012)
• Howard Berman (D–California; defeated in 2012)
• Hansen Clarke (D–Michigan; defeated in 2012)
• Bill Delahunt (D–Massachusetts; retired in 2011)
• Rosa DeLauro (D–Connecticut)
• Chaka Fattah (D–Pennsylvania)
• Bob Filner (D–California; resigned to run for mayor of San Diego in 2012)
• Barney Frank (D–Massachusetts; retired in 2013)
• Marcia L. Fudge (D–Ohio)
• Gabrielle Giffords (D–Arizona; resigned in 2012)
• Charlie Gonzalez (D–Texas; retired in 2013)
• Phil Hare (D–Illinois; defeated in 2010)
• Jane Harman (D–California; resigned in 2011)
• Nan Hayworth (R–New York; defeated in 2012)
• Martin Heinrich (D–New Mexico; elected to Senate in 2012)
• Maurice Hinchey (D–New York; retired in 2013)
• Mazie Hirono (D–Hawaii; elected to Senate in 2012)
• Sheila Jackson Lee (D–Texas)
• Patrick J. Kennedy (D–Rhode Island; retired in 2011)
• Mary Jo Kilroy (D–Ohio; defeated in 2010)
• Dennis Kucinich (D–Ohio; defeated in 2012)
• Nita Lowey (D–New York)
• Doris Matsui (D–California)
• Carolyn McCarthy (D–New York)
• Michael McMahon (D–New York; defeated in 2010)
• Michael R. McNulty (D–New York; retired in 2008)
• Jim Moran (D–Virginia)
• Chris Murphy (D–Connecticut; elected to Senate in 2012)
• Patrick Murphy (D–Pennsylvania; defeated in 2010)
• Gary Peters (D–Michigan)
• Laura Richardson (D–California; defeated in 2012)
• Steven Rothman (D–New Jersey; defeated in 2012)
• Gregorio Sablan (D–Northern Mariana Islands)
• Loretta Sanchez (D–California)
• Kurt Schrader (D–Oregon)
• Joe Sestak (D–Pennsylvania; defeated in 2010)
• Chris Shays (R–Connecticut; defeated in 2008)
• Hilda Solis (D–California; resigned to become United States Secretary of Labor in 2009)
• Pete Stark (D–California; defeated in 2012)
• Betty Sutton (D–Ohio; defeated in 2012)
• Edolphus Towns (D–New York; retired in 2013)
• Robert Wexler (D–Florida; resigned to become president of the Center for Middle East Peace and Economic Cooperation in 2010)
• Lynn Woolsey (D–California; retired in 2013)
• David Wu (D–Oregon; resigned in 2011)

See also

• Congressional caucus
• Caucuses of the United States Congress
• California Legislative LGBT Caucus
• Pennsylvania LGBT Equality Caucus

References

1. "House Members Form LGBT Equality Caucus: Goal is Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Americans" (Press release). LGBT Equality Caucus. June 4, 2008. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
2. "U.S. House Members Form First Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus", The Advocate, February 5, 2008, retrieved 2010-04-07
3. "LGBT Equality Caucus Membership List". Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
4. "LGBT Equality Caucus Membership List". Archived from the original on 2011-01-19. Retrieved 2011-01-19.
5. "Mission". LGBT Equality Caucus. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
6. Equality PAC latest to endorse Clinton

External links

• LGBT Equality Caucus — official website
• "Congressional caucus launched for LGBT rights," The Advocate, June 4, 2008.
• DiGuglielmo, Joey. "Frank, Baldwin launch LGBT Equality Caucus," The Washington Blade, June 4, 2008.
• "Keith Ellison is Proud to be Named Vice-Chair of Bipartisan Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus," Re-Elect Keith Ellison for U.S. Congress, retrieved July 20, 2008.
• "Founding of the Congressional GLBT Equality Caucus – Ending the Discrimination," Congressman Mike Honda - 15th District California, June 4, 2008.