Pelosi Statement on San Francisco’s 37th Annual LBGT Pride Celebration

Pelosi Statement on San Francisco’s 37th Annual LBGT Pride Celebration

Friday, June 22, 2007

Contact: Brendan Daly/Nadeam Elshami, 202-226-7616

Washington, D.C. â€" Speaker Nancy Pelosi released the following statement today on San Francisco’s 37th annual LGBT Pride Celebration.

â€Å"This weekend, San Francisco will recognize the 37th annual LGBT Pride Celebration. Once again, we honor San Francisco’s proud history of standing up for basic rights and commend those individuals who have effectively advocated for the greater LGBT community.

â€Å"I would like to extend my deepest appreciation and congratulations to the Pride Parade’s 2007 Grand Marshals, including the Lifetime Achievement Grand Marshal, Pat Norman, whose contributions to the LGBT community in the field of health care are immeasurable.

â€Å"For 37 years, the San Francisco Pride movement has remained a united voice for change, fighting harassment, discrimination, and politics that divide. In assuming my role as Speaker, I am proud to stand for San Francisco values of health care for all children, the protection of the environment, a strengthened middle class for whom college is affordable, and the protection of basic rights guaranteed by our Constitution.

â€Å"Under Democratic Leadership, the 110th Congress will not condone or consider malicious and mean-spirited measures that target the rights of LGBT individuals or use the LGBT community as a wedge to divide the American people. Instead, we will fight for the dignity of all Americans by supporting legislation to protect, not destroy, basic rights that is consistent with the noble ideals of our nation and the principle of ending discrimination and unifying our country:

• The House has already passed Rep. John Conyers’ (D-MI) Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2007 (H.R.1592), which extends federal hate crimes protection to violent acts based on gender identity, sexual orientation or disability.

• Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) has introduced the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (H.R. 2015) that will prohibit workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

• Rep. Marty Meehan (D-MA) has introduced the Military Readiness Enhancement Act of 2007 (H.R.1246) that would replace ‘Don’t Ask Don’t Tell’ with a policy of nondiscrimination on the basis of sexual orientation in the Armed Forces.

• Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY) has introduced the Uniting American Families Act, which would end discrimination in federal immigration laws by allowing U.S. citizens to sponsor their same-sex partners for citizenship.

â€Å"I look forward to continuing our work together to combat all forms of discrimination and secure rights and protections for LGBT individuals.

â€Å"Throughout my years in Congress, I have made fighting HIV/AIDS a priority, and I will continue to fight against the Bush Administration’s cuts to San Francisco’s AIDS funding’ which threaten to diminish the quality of and access to care and services for thousands of San Franciscans.

â€Å"In fulfilling my commitment to fighting AIDS, I am proud to work closely with Representatives Eliot Engel (D-NY) and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) to build bipartisan support for the Early Treatment for HIV Act. This legislation would allow low-income individuals living with HIV to qualify for Medicaid earlier in the course of their disease, thereby providing care to countless Americans in need.

"San Francisco’s history of advocacy for equal rights fills me with great purpose in continuing to uphold the rights of all Americans. While we can end discrimination through our laws, we can only address prejudice through our example and pride in our community. This weekend, and every day of the year, we affirm our commitment to social justice and the protection of basic rights, and commit to living with ‘Pride Not Prejudice.’”