Bringing our Troops Home; Celebrating San Francisco Pride

Bringing our Troops Home
President Obama has made it clear: we are now beginning the process of bringing our troops home and ending the war in Afghanistan.

It has been the hope of many in Congress and across the country that the full drawdown of U.S. forces would happen sooner than the President laid out – and we will continue to press for a better outcome. Concluding this war will enable us to reduce the deficit and focus fuller attention on the priorities of the American people: creating jobs and investing in our nation’s future by building a strong, thriving economy for our children.

Congress will continue to perform the oversight responsibilities critical to ensuring a successful withdrawal as soon as possible. We will maintain our commitment and gratitude to our men and women in uniform and their families, who have done everything asked of them with courage and patriotism.

To mark the 41st celebration of San Francisco Pride, Congresswoman Pelosi visits the Trevor Project’s Harvey Milk Call Center.

Celebrating San Francisco Pride
To mark the 41st celebration of San Francisco Pride, the largest gathering of LGBT Americans, I was proud to visit the Trevor Project’s Harvey Milk Call Center this week, where advocates, activists, and neighbors come together to send the message to LGBT youth that the ‘future’s so bright.’ Inspired by the ongoing work of the Trevor Project, and so many others working to protect LGBT youth, I was proud to cosponsor the recently introduced Student Non-Discrimination Act, which would prohibit federally-funded school programs from discriminating against students based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

As we work toward a tomorrow of respect and progress for LGBT Americans, we must keep fighting in Congress to pass a fully-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act. We must repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, building on President Obama’s decision to no longer defend this indefensible statute.

Though there’s still more work to do, we take pride in the achievements of the Democratic Congress: enacting fully-inclusive hate crimes legislation; repealing ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ – one of my proudest moments in Congress; and, on this 30th anniversary of the first AIDS diagnosis, expanding investments in HIV/AIDS care, prevention, and research.

San Francisco Pride is the pride of our city; it is also a beacon of hope for people across the country and around the world. This weekend, we reflect on our progress and recommit to ensuring that LGBT Americans achieve true equality, our nation’s heritage and our hope.

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