Equality
I am proud to serve as Chair of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus, helping to lead more than 100 caucus members on civil rights and equality issues. I am a leading co-sponsor of the Equality Act, legislation that would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include protections that ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex. I am also a sponsor of the Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act, a bill to prevent discrimination at colleges and universities, and the Restore Honor to Service Members Act, a bill to restore the status and benefits of service members discharged due to their sexual orientation.
During the Trump Administration, I strongly opposed the numerous attacks on the LGBTQ+ community, from the transgender military ban, to discriminatory adoption practices. I will always support our nation's LGBTQ+ youth, who face relentless efforts to silence and alienate them, particularly on the state level through bills like Florida's "Don't Say Gay" law. Our kids should always feel safe to be who they are, and that includes while they're at school.
More on Equality
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, today issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court heard oral arguments on same-sex marriage:
"Today, the U.S. Supreme Court is taking the first steps to putting an end to the debate over same-sex marriage once and for all. I am hopeful and optimistic that the Court will find every American has the right to equal protection under the law, regardless of who they love.
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, today called on Wisconsin Governor Scott Walker to withdraw from his planned June appearance at the Western Conservatives Summit in Denver, CO after event organizers uninvited an LGBT Republican group:
Washington, D.C. — U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI), a Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, today criticized Alabama Supreme Court Chief Justice Roy Moore for asking local authorities to ignore a federal court's order to issue same-sex marriage licenses:
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), a co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, signed on as an original cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act, introduced by Rep. Jerrold Nadler (NY-10). This bill would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 (DOMA) in its entirety, providing equality under the law and certainty for all married couples with regard to critical federal obligations and benefits.
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Today U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), a co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court rejected Governor Scott Walker and Attorney General J.B. Van Hollen's appeal after the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals struck down Wisconsin's same-sex marriage ban:
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), a co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, today issued the following statement on a decision by a three-judge panel of the U.S. 7th Circuit Court of Appeals in Chicago ruling that Wisconsin's ban on gay marriage is unconstitutional:
"Today's decision puts Wisconsin back on track to ensuring full equality for every American," said Rep. Mark Pocan. "It is clear discriminatory laws that treat LGBT couples as second-class citizens will not stand in a court of law."
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), a co-chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, today issued the following statement on the one-year anniversary of the Supreme Court's historic decisions in United States v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry, which struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and dismissed the California's Prop 8 case on a lack of standing:
Washington D.C. – U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin, Congressman Ron Kind (WI-3), Congresswoman Gwen Moore (WI-4) and Congressman Mark Pocan (WI-2) have sent a letter to United States Attorney General Eric Holder asking that the same-sex couples in Wisconsin who have received marriage licenses be recognized for federal purposes.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), a co-chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, today issued the following statement on President Obama's executive order which protects LGBT workers from employment discrimination by federal contractors:
WASHINGTON, D.C.—U.S. Reps. Mark Pocan (D-WI), Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Rosa DeLauro (D-CT), Louise Slaughter (D-NY), and Henry Waxman (D-CA), along with 114 of their House colleagues, today sent a letter to Secretary of State John Kerry and United States Trade Representative Michael Froman insisting the United States stop any further negotiations with the government of Brunei Darussalam on the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) trade agreement until Brunei addresses its human rights violations – part of its newly adopted a penal code.