Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus
The formation of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus was announced on June 4, 2008, by openly gay representatives Tammy Baldwin and Barney Frank.[1][2] The caucus currently has 165 members (164 Democrats and 1 Republican) in the 116th United States Congress. The caucus is co-chaired by the United States House of Representatives' seven openly LGBT members: Representatives David Cicilline, Angie Craig, Sharice Davids, Sean Patrick Maloney, Chris Pappas, Mark Pocan, and Mark Takano.
Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus | |
---|---|
Founded | 2008 |
Ideology | LGBT rights Social liberalism |
Political position | Center to center-left |
Seats in the House Democratic Caucus | 164 / 235 |
Seats in the House | 165 / 435 |
Seats in the House Republican Caucus | 1 / 198 |
|
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, gender identity, or gender expression.[3] The caucus serves as a resource for Members of Congress, their staffs, and the public on LGBT issues.[3] 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; it has historically been co-chaired by every openly-LGBT member of the House.
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. On March 14, 2016, the board of the Equality PAC voted to endorse Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Presidential election.[4]
Task Forces
During the 114th United States Congress, the caucus formed the Transgender Equality Task Force (TETF) and the LGBT Aging Issues Task Force. In the 116th United States Congress, the TETF is chaired by Joe Kennedy III and the LGBT Aging Issues Task Force is chaired by Ted Deutch.[5] The TETF is committed to pushing for legislative and administrative action to ensure that transgender people are treated equally and with dignity and respect. The LGBT Aging Issues Task Force works to push for legislative and administrative action to protect the dignity and security of elderly LGBT people.
Membership
The below table summarizes the number of caucus members by party over a number of legislative sessions, the drop in membership numbers in the 114th congress was predominantly due to this being the first year that caucus members were charged fees for their membership:
Congress | Democratic | Republican | Total |
---|---|---|---|
111th | 90 | 1 | 91[6] |
112th | 101 | 3 | 104[7] |
113th | 112 | 2 | 114 |
114th | 55 | 0 | 55[8] |
115th | 113 | 2 | 115[9] |
116th | 164 | 1 | 165[10] |
List of Caucus members in the 116th Congress:
Co-chairs
- David Cicilline (D–Rhode Island)
- Angie Craig (D–Minnesota)
- Sharice Davids (D–Kansas)
- Sean Patrick Maloney (D–New York)
- Chris Pappas (D–New Hampshire)
- Mark Pocan (D–Wisconsin)
- Mark Takano (D–California)
Vice chairs
- Judy Chu (D–California)
- Ted Deutch (D-Florida)
- Lloyd Doggett (D-Texas)
- Ruben Gallego (D-Arizona)
- Deb Haaland (D-New Mexico)
- Pramila Jayapal (D-Washington)
- Joseph P. Kennedy III (D–Massachusetts)
- Barbara Lee (D–California)
- Ted Lieu (D-California)
- Alan Lowenthal (D-California)
- Grace Meng (D-New York)
- Jerrold Nadler (D-New York)
- Chellie Pingree (D–Maine)
- Mike Quigley (D-Illinois)
- Jamie Raskin (D–Maryland)
- Linda Sanchez (D-California)
- Adam Schiff (D-California)
- Darren Soto (D-Florida)
- Debbie Wasserman Schultz (D-Florida)
Members
- Pete Aguilar (D-California)
- Nanette Barragán (D-California)
- Karen Bass (D–California)
- Ami Bera (D-California)
- Earl Blumenauer (D–Oregon)
- Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-Delaware)
- Suzanne Bonamici (D–Oregon)
- Brendan Boyle (D-Pennsylvania)
- Anthony Brindisi (D-New York)
- Anthony G. Brown (D-Maryland)
- Julia Brownley (D-California)
- Cheri Bustos (D-Illinois)
- Salud Carbajal (D-California)
- Tony Cárdenas (D–California)
- André Carson (D–Indiana)
- Matt Cartwright (D–Pennsylvania)
- Ed Case (D-Hawaii)
- Sean Casten (D-Illinois)
- Kathy Castor (D-Florida)
- Gil Cisneros (D-California)
- Katherine Clark (D-Massachusetts)
- Yvette Clarke (D–New York)
- Lou Correa (D-California)
- Jim Costa (D-California)
- Joe Courtney (D-Connecticut)
- TJ Cox (D-California)
- Charlie Crist (D-Florida)
- Jason Crow (D-Colorado)
- Joe Cunningham (D-South Carolina)
- Susan Davis (D–California)
- Madeleine Dean (D-Pennsylvania)
- Diana DeGette (D–Colorado)
- Suzan DelBene (D–Washington)
- Antonio Delgado (D-New York)
- Mark DeSaulnier (D-California)
- Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan)
- Eliot Engel (D–New York)
- Veronica Escobar (D-Texas)
- Anna Eshoo (D–California)
- Adriano Espaillat (D-New York)
- Dwight Evans (D–Pennsylvania)
- Abby Finkenauer (D-Iowa)
- Lizzie Fletcher (D-Texas)
- Bill Foster (D–Illinois)
- Lois Frankel (D–Florida)
- Tulsi Gabbard (D–Hawaii)
- Sylvia Garcia (D-Texas)
- Chuy García (D-Illinois)
- Jared Golden (D-Maine)
- Jimmy Gomez (D–California)
- Josh Gottheimer (D-New Jersey)
- Al Green (D-Texas)
- Raúl Grijalva (D-Arizona)
- Denny Heck (D-Washington)
- Brian Higgins (D–New York)
- Jim Himes (D–Connecticut)
- Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-District of Columbia)
- Chrissy Houlahan (D-Pennsylvania)
- Jared Huffman (D–California)
- Hakeem Jeffries (D-New York)
- Eddie Bernice Johnson (D–Texas)
- Hank Johnson (D-Georgia)
- Bill Keating (D–Massachusetts)
- Ro Khanna (D-California)
- Dan Kildee (D-Michigan)
- Derek Kilmer (D–Washington)
- Raja Krishnamoorthi (D-Illinois)
- Ann McLane Kuster (D–New Hampshire)
- Conor Lamb (D-Pennsylvania)
- James Langevin (D–Rhode Island)
- John B. Larson (D-Connecticut)
- Susie Lee (D-Nevada)
- Andy Levin (D-Michigan)
- Mike Levin (D-California)
- David Loebsack (D–Iowa)
- Zoe Lofgren (D-California)
- Nita Lowey (D-New York)
- Elaine Luria (D-Virginia)
- Tom Malinowski (D-New Jersey)
- Carolyn Maloney (D–New York)
- Doris Matsui (D-California)
- Ben McAdams (D-Utah)
- Don McEachin (D-Virginia)
- James McGovern (D-Massachusetts)
- Jerry McNerney (D-California)
- Gwen Moore (D–Wisconsin)
- Joseph Morelle (D-New York)
- Seth Moulton (D–Massachusetts)
- Debbie Mucarsel-Powell (D-Florida)
- Stephanie Murphy (D-Florida)
- Joe Neguse (D-Colorado)
- Donald Norcross (D-New Jersey)
- Tom O'Halleran (D-Arizona)
- Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-New York)
- Ilhan Omar (D-Minnesota)
- Frank Pallone (D–New Jersey)
- Jimmy Panetta (D–California)
- Ed Perlmutter (D–Colorado)
- Scott Peters (D–California)
- Dean Phillips (D-Minnesota)
- Katie Porter (D-California)
- Ayanna Pressley (D-Massachusetts)
- David Price (D-North Carolina)
- Kathleen Rice (D-New York)
- Max Rose (D-New York)
- Harley Rouda (D-California)
- Lucille Roybal-Allard (D-California)
- Raul Ruiz (D–California)
- Mary Gay Scanlon (D—Pennsylvania)
- Jan Schakowsky (D–Illinois)
- Brad Schneider (D–Illinois)
- Kim Schrier (D-Washington)
- Bobby Scott (D–Virginia)
- José E. Serrano (D–New York)
- Donna Shalala (D-Florida)
- Brad Sherman (D–California)
- Mikie Sherrill (D-New Jersey)
- Elissa Slotkin (D-Michigan)
- Abigail Spanberger (D-Virginia)
- Jackie Speier (D–California)
- Greg Stanton (D-Arizona)
- Haley Stevens (D-Michigan)
- Eric Swalwell (D–California)
- Dina Titus (D–Nevada)
- Rashida Tlaib (D-Michigan)
- Paul Tonko (D–New York)
- Xochitl Torres Small (D-New Mexico)
- Lori Trahan (D-Massachusetts)
- David Trone (D-Maryland)
- Lauren Underwood (D-Illinois)
- Jeff Van Drew (R-New Jersey)
- Juan Vargas (D–California)
- Marc Veasey (D–Texas)
- Nydia Velázquez (D-New York)
- Bonnie Watson Coleman (D-New Jersey)
- Peter Welch (D–Vermont)
- Jennifer Wexton (D-Virginia)
- Susan Wild (D-Pennsylvania)
- Frederica Wilson (D–Florida)
Former co-chairs
- Tammy Baldwin (D–Wisconsin; elected to Senate in 2012)
- Barney Frank (D–Massachusetts; retired in 2013)
- Jared Polis (D-Colorado; elected to become Governor of Colorado in 2018)
- Kyrsten Sinema (D-Arizona; elected to Senate in 2018)
- Katie Hill (D-California; resigned in 2019)
Former members
- Neil Abercrombie (D–Hawaii; resigned to successfully run for Governor of Hawaii in 2010)
- Rob Andrews (D–New Jersey; resigned in 2014)
- Gary Ackerman (D–New York; retired in 2013)
- Xavier Becerra (D–California; appointed California Attorney General in 2017)
- Shelley Berkley (D–Nevada; unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2012)
- Howard Berman (D–California; defeated in 2012)
- Bob Brady (D–Pennsylvania)
- Bruce Braley (D–Iowa; unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2014)
- Tim Bishop (D–New York; retired in 2015)
- Lois Capps (D–California; retired in 2017)
- Michael Capuano (D–Massachusetts)
- Hansen Clarke (D–Michigan; defeated in 2012)
- Gerry Connolly (D–Virginia)
- John Conyers (D–Michigan)
- Carlos Curbelo (R–Florida; defeated in 2018)
- Peter DeFazio (D–Oregon)
- Bill Delahunt (D–Massachusetts; retired in 2011)
- John Delaney (D-Maryland)
- Rosa DeLauro (D–Connecticut)
- Mike Doyle (D–Pennsylvania)
- Keith Ellison (D–Minnesota)
- Elizabeth Esty (D-Connecticut)
- Chaka Fattah (D–Pennsylvania)
- Bob Filner (D–California; resigned to successfully run for Mayor of San Diego in 2012)
- Marcia L. Fudge (D–Ohio)
- Gabrielle Giffords (D–Arizona; resigned in 2012)
- Charlie Gonzalez (D–Texas; retired in 2013)
- Luis Gutierrez (D–Illinois)
- Janice Hahn (D–California; elected to Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors in 2016)
- Colleen Hanabusa (D–Hawaii; unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Hawaii in 2018)
- Richard L. Hanna (R–New York; retired in 2017)
- Phil Hare (D–Illinois; defeated in 2010)
- Jane Harman (D–California; resigned in 2011)
- Alcee Hastings (D–Florida)
- 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)
- Rush Holt Jr. (D–New Jersey; retired in 2015)
- Steve Israel (D–New York; retired in 2017)
- Sheila Jackson Lee (D–Texas)
- Patrick J. Kennedy (D–Rhode Island; retired in 2011)
- Ruben Kihuen (D-Nevada)
- Mary Jo Kilroy (D–Ohio; defeated in 2010)
- Dennis Kucinich (D–Ohio; defeated in 2012)
- Sander Levin (D–Michigan)
- John Lewis (D–Georgia)
- Michelle Lujan Grisham (D-New Mexico; elected to become Governor of New Mexico in 2018)
- Stephen Lynch (D–Massachusetts)
- Dan Maffei (D–New York; defeated in 2014)
- Carolyn McCarthy (D–New York)
- Betty McCollum (D–Minnesota)
- Jim McDermott (D–Washington; retired in 2017)
- Jim McGovern (D–Massachusetts)
- Michael McMahon (D–New York; defeated in 2010)
- Michael R. McNulty (D–New York; retired in 2008)
- George Miller (D–California; retired in 2015)
- Jim Moran (D–Virginia; retired in 2015)
- Chris Murphy (D–Connecticut; elected to Senate in 2012)
- Patrick Murphy (D–Pennsylvania; defeated in 2010)
- Patrick Murphy (D–Florida; unsuccessfully ran for Senate in 2016)
- Beto O'Rourke (D–Texas)
- Bill Pascrell (D–New Jersey)
- Gary Peters (D–Michigan; elected to Senate in 2014)
- Laura Richardson (D–California; defeated in 2012)
- Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R–Florida; retired in 2019)
- Steven Rothman (D–New Jersey; defeated in 2012)
- Gregorio Sablan (D–Northern Mariana Islands)
- Loretta Sanchez (D–California)
- John Sarbanes (D–Maryland)
- Kurt Schrader (D–Oregon)
- Allyson Schwartz (D–Pennsylvania; unsuccessfully ran for Governor of Pennsylvania in 2014)
- Joe Sestak (D–Pennsylvania; defeated in 2010)
- Chris Shays (R–Connecticut; defeated in 2008)
- Carol Shea-Porter (D–New Hampshire)
- Adam Smith (D–Washington)
- 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)
- Chris Van Hollen (D–Maryland; elected to Senate in 2016)
- Nydia Velázquez (D–New York)
- Tim Walz (D-Minnesota; elected to become Governor of Minnesota in 2018)
- 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
References
- "House Members Form LGBT Equality Caucus: Goal is Equality for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender (LGBT) Americans" (Press release). LGBT Equality Caucus. June 4, 2008. Archived from the original on December 11, 2012. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
- "U.S. House Members Form First Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus", The Advocate, February 5, 2008, retrieved April 7, 2010
- "Mission". LGBT Equality Caucus. Retrieved February 21, 2019.
- Equality PAC latest to endorse Clinton
- "Task Forces". LGBT Equality Caucus. March 25, 2019. Retrieved April 17, 2019.
- "LGBT Equality Caucus Membership List". Archived from the original on January 20, 2011. Retrieved January 19, 2011.
- "LGBT Equality Caucus Membership List". Archived from the original on January 5, 2013. Retrieved January 5, 2013.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on December 1, 2017. Retrieved November 20, 2017.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "House LGBT Caucus Announces Largest Membership in Caucus History with 165 Members in the 116th Congress". March 11, 2019. Retrieved June 8, 2019.
External links
Wikimedia Commons has media related to Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus. |
- LGBT Equality Caucus — official website
- LGBT Equality Caucus — web archived 115th Congress
- "Congressional caucus launched for LGBT rights", The Advocate (Gay.com), 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-Chairman 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.