Measuring Support for Equality in the 109th Congress

CONGRESSIONAL SCORECARD Dear Friends,

With every passing year, our country is becoming a more welcoming place for gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender Americans. With full marriage equality in Massachusetts and partnership recognition a reality or likelihood in several other states, millions of same-sex couples are finally getting many of the same protections as their opposite-sex counterparts. Our stories are increasingly present in the media. More and more religious leaders and people of faith are voicing their support for equality. And economic fairness is becoming a reality for greater numbers of GLBT workers, with more than half of all Fortune 500 companies offering benefits to their employees’ domestic partners.

Our society is making incredible progress toward fairness and inclusion – but achieving equality in our political system has been another story. While overwhelming majorities of American voters support non-discrimination laws and increased hate crimes protections, and these bills have more than enough votes to pass, the current congressional leadership has halted virtually all action on measures that would benefit our community. Instead, the leadership has forced votes in the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives on the so-called Federal Marriage Amendment, a proposal designed to write same-sex couples out of the U.S. Constitution forever.

We can reverse this course, but there is only one path that leads to passing bills in Congress. That path is elections.

On Nov. 7, 2006, the nation’s voters will elect a new Congress. If enough fair-minded Americans show up to be counted at the polls, we can write a new history for our country. The Human Rights Campaign wants to provide you with all the resources you need to make an informed decision. Use this scorecard to evaluate your federal elected officials and make your voting decisions.

And when the election is over, keep this scorecard so you can contact your elected officials on issues that are critical to you. You can reach your senators and representatives simply by calling the U.S. Capitol Switchboard at 202/224-3121. Just ask for your lawmaker by name.

Be heard, be counted, be part of making history.

Sincerely,

Joe Solmonese President Human Rights Campaign

 HRC CONGRESSIONAL SCORECARD CONGRESSIONAL SCORECARD

109TH CONGRESS  U.S. Senate

A Federal Marriage Amendment (S.J. Res. 1) The Federal Marriage Amendment would enshrine discrimination into the U.S. Constitution by defining marriage as the union between one man and one woman and prohibiting federal and state laws from conferring same-sex couples with marital status and “the legal incidents thereof.” The amendment would thereby endanger civil unions and domestic partnership benefits. The amendment failed by a vote of 49-48, falling 11 votes short of the 60 necessary to invoke cloture, a procedural motion to advance to a vote on the substance of the bill (Roll Call Vote 163, 2nd Session). The amendment would have needed 67 votes (two-thirds majority) to pass. Democrats — 2 yes, 40 no, 2 not voting; Republicans — 47 yes, 7 no, 1 not voting; Independents — 1 no. HRC strongly opposed this amendment. This vote is triple- weighted in the final Senate scores.

B Judge William Pryor Confirmation The Senate voted June 9, 2005, on President Bush’s nomination of Judge William Pryor to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The Senate confirmed his nomination, 53-45 (Senate Roll Call Vote 133, 1st Session). Democrats — 2 yes, 42 no; Republicans — 51 yes, 3 no, 1 not voting; Independents — 1 not voting. HRC opposed this nomination.

C Judge Samuel Alito Confirmation The Senate voted Jan. 31, 2006, on President Bush’s nomination of Judge Samuel Alito to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed his nomination, 58-42 (Sen- ate Roll Call Vote 2, 2nd Session). Democrats — 4 yes, 40 no; Republicans — 54 yes, 1 no; Independents — 1 no. HRC oppo