Issue Position: Equality

Issue Position

I oppose discrimination in all forms, whether based on gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Wisconsin is home to a large and diverse LGBT community. As a co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, I am a champion for equality and I have fought tirelessly to end discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender individuals. I will continue to fight and support all efforts to ensure that discrimination in the workplace, in the military, in our schools, and in our everyday lives comes to an end.

The country has recently made great strides to ensure equality for all -- Congress repealed Department of Defense Directive 1304.26 (the "Don't Ask, Don't Tell") policy of the U.S. Military and the Supreme Court recently decided to strike down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). But I know there is still more work to do. In 2013, I introduced the Restore Honor to Service Members Act to ensure that gay and lesbian veterans who were discharged from the military because of their sexual orientation receive the honor and recognition they deserve. I also sponsored the bipartisan Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (DPBO), which would grant federal employees in same sex domestic partnerships the same rights, protections and obligations afforded to heterosexual married couples. Furthermore, I continue to fight to end discrimination against same-sex couples in federal immigration laws, urge passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and require the federal government to provide equal treatment to its LGBT employees.

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