LGBT Rights
Legislation | Documents/Reports | Links | Press Releases
Congresswoman Maloney has been a strong supporter of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) community throughout her career in public service. She is a member of the LGBT Equality Caucus and a strong supporter of anti-discrimination legislation, including the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, the Student Non-Discrimination Act, and other federal measures to expand and protect the rights of LGBT individuals. First authored in 2003, Maloney continues to introduce the Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act, which would provide couples in domestic partnerships, civil unions and same-sex marriages with all the benefits offered currently by the federal Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA). In 1986 she introduced the first domestic partnership legislation in New York state history.
As a long-time supporter of the repeal of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), Maloney applauded the July 2013 Supreme Court decision to strike down DOMA. For a report from the Human Rights Campaign about how the federal government is implementing this ruling read here. For specific information about the FMLA implementation click here.
Legislation
04/25/13 - H.R. 1751 Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act [113th Congress]
06/24/11 - H.R. 2364 Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act [112th Congress]
02/03/09 - H.R. 824 Family and Medical Leave Act [111th Congress]
06/20/07 - H.R.2792, Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act [110th Congress]
02/01/05 - H.R.475, Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act [109th Congress]
03/25/03 - H.R.1430, Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act [108th Congress]
06/21/01 - H.R.2287, Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act [107th Congress]
Documents
03/18/14 - Joint Letter to President Obama supporting Federal Contractor Employment non-Discrimination
6/18/09 – Letter to President Obama to suspend the military’s ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ policy
5/12/09 – Letter to Secretary of State Clinton to prioritize investigation of LGBT executions in Iraq
More on LGBT Rights
WASHINGTON, DC – Rep. Carolyn Maloney (D-NY) today submitted the following statement to the Tom Lantos Human Rights Commission on Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality legislation:
I would first like to thank Chairman McGovern and Ranking Member Wolf for holding this important hearing today. The recent developments in Uganda have sent shockwaves throughout the international community and for good reason.
“Family and Medical Leave Inclusion Act,” which would amend the landmark 1993 Family and Medical Leave Act to permit leave to care for a domestic partner, child of a domestic partner, same-sex spouse, parent-in-law, adult child, sibling, or grandparent if that person has a serious health condition.
New York – Today Congresswoman Carolyn B. Maloney (D-Manhattan, Queens) joined with Governor David A. Paterson and other elected officials and advocates to announce her strong support for the Governor’s move to provide full legal recognition to same-sex marriages in New York State. In a statement released at today’s announcement by the Governor that he would be introducing a marriage equality “program bill” in the New York State Legislature, Congresswoman Maloney said:
“The right of consenting adults to marry their loved ones is
inherent in the ideal of 'life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness'
upon which our great nation was founded. Anything less than full
marriage equality for same-sex couples constitutes separate and unequal
treatment.
I rise in strong opposition to H.J. Res. 88.
Instead of spending time working on the issues that really matter to the American people, we are here debating a proposed amendment that would write discrimination into the Constitution.
We do this even after the Senate failed to pass a similar amendment.
So let’s be clear, regardless of what the vote is today, this amendment is going nowhere.
This makes our time on this even more pointless.
What this debate really is about is dividing our country and riling up the base for a Republican party increasingly concerned about their election prospects this November.
And the Republican leadership is willing to trample on our Constitution in order to do so and no issue is worth paying such a price.
Instead of debating discrimination and dividing our country, why don’t we spend our time
working to make health care more affordable, work to lower gas prices and achieve energy independence, raise the minimum wage, cut the cost of college, or work to ensure our hardworking constituents a dignified retirement?
Why is it that my Republican colleagues who talk so much about family values refuse to allow our families to earn a livable wage, refuse to fix the prescription drug program and turn their backs on our children by raising the interest rate on all student loans?
We must resist this divisive use of this House to score a few political points. We must reject this effort. We need real leadership that will bring our country towards a new direction.
There is a new direction that our country must go in that will help American families and address the issues that impact them every single day.