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Equal Justice for All

November 8, 2013
Pelosi Update

The Fight for Equal Rights
The passage of the fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act by the Senate yesterday was a long time coming. The bipartisan vote to pass ENDA reaffirms the true meaning of our nation's creed: that all are created equal; that discrimination has no place in our workplaces or society; that equal protection is a right afforded to all Americans, not just a privileged few.

The Senate has done its part to advance the American values of fairness and equality for LGBT Americans; now, the House must follow suit. Members on both sides of the aisle have signed onto this legislation, yet the House Republican leadership continues to stand in the way of progress. After spending $2.3 million in taxpayer funds on a losing battle to deny equality to LGBT families in our courts, House Republicans find themselves on the wrong side of history once again.

Earlier this year, in its decisions on DOMA and Prop 8, the Supreme Court upheld the words etched into its walls: ‘equal justice under law.' Now, it's time to bring ENDA up for a vote in the House of Representatives, pass this long overdue bill, and make this measure the law of the land.

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Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi is joined by artist Cliff Garten, GSA Regional Administrator Ruth Cox, Mayor Ed Lee, Administrator Daniel Tangherlini, and architect Michele MacCracken at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for 50 UN Plaza.

Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi is joined by artist Cliff Garten, GSA Regional Administrator Ruth Cox, Mayor Ed Lee, Administrator Daniel Tangherlini, and architect Michele MacCracken at the ribbon-cutting ceremony for 50 UN Plaza.

Rebirth in the Civic Center
It was an honor to join Mayor Ed Lee and General Services Administrator Daniel Tangherlini at the reopening of 50 United Nations Plaza after years of renovation to restore this historic building. Over the years, the Civic Center has witnessed extraordinary moments of trial and triumph, of compassion, and of accomplishment.

But by the beginning of the greatest economic crisis since the Great Depression, five or six years ago, the historic building stood empty. Once again, in dark and uncertain times, this nation decided to invest in ourselves and in our future. Congress passed the American Reinvestment and Recovery Act, a massive commitment by President Obama to put people back to work, rebuild our nation, and reclaim our future. With a $121 million dollar investment in 50 UN Plaza, the Recovery Act created hundreds of jobs right here, renovating and modernizing this structure, providing seismic upgrades and incorporating more sustainable and energy efficient designs for a 21st century workforce. We hope that the building will soon be granted a Platinum Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) ranking because of its exemplary environmental design.

And now, after nearly six empty years, 50 United Nations Plaza will bustle with the labors of 700 federal workers, bringing new energy to the Civic Center and Mid-Market area. With the investments and Recovery Act partnership between the federal government and local leaders, San Francisco is leading the way to progress and prosperity once more. Today, the work of recovery remains unfinished and incomplete. We're still working to put people back to work to grow our economy and revitalize our nation's communities and to strengthen our middle class – the backbone of our democracy. And that is what San Francisco is always ready to do.

A New Community in San Francisco

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Congresswoman Pelosi with Mayor Lee, Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman, and others at the opening of Yelp's new headquarters at 140 New Montgomery in San Francisco.

Congresswoman Pelosi with Mayor Lee, Yelp CEO Jeremy Stoppelman, and others at the opening of Yelp's new headquarters at 140 New Montgomery in San Francisco.

Honoring our Veterans
On Veterans Day, Americans pause to honor the boundless courage and heroic sacrifice of the men and women who have served our nation in uniform. Our veterans are the great guardians of our nation, our values, and our way of life. Far from home, on distant battlefields, our soldiers, sailors, airmen, Marines and Coast Guardsmen have fought and died in the name of liberty and freedom.

President Kennedy once said that ‘we must never forget that the highest appreciation is not to utter words, but to live by them.' Our veterans were willing to give everything to serve our country; we should do everything we can to serve them.

With so many brave veterans struggling with seen and unseen scars of war, it is our responsibility to ensure they receive the support they have earned by their heroism. We must continue to reduce the backlog of disability claims, building on the bipartisan legislative package that passed last month to promote innovation and speed up the claims process. We must work to pass common sense legislation that expands economic opportunity, addresses the special challenges faced by women veterans, and creates jobs for all those who have served in uniform. We must treat every day as Veterans Day.

Our nation is honored and humbled by our veterans' strength and service. On this Veterans Day, let us reaffirm our basic pledge: that just as our soldiers leave no one behind on the battlefield, we will leave no veteran behind at home.