Equality
I oppose discrimination in all forms, whether based on gender, race, religion, or sexual orientation. Wisconsin is home to a large and diverse LGBT community. As a co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, I am a champion for equality and I have fought tirelessly to end discrimination against gays, lesbians, bisexuals, and transgender individuals. I will continue to fight and support all efforts to ensure that discrimination in the workplace, in the military, in our schools, and in our everyday lives comes to an end.
The country has recently made great strides to ensure equality for all – Congress repealed Department of Defense Directive 1304.26 (the “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”) policy of the U.S. Military and the Supreme Court recently decided to strike down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). But I know there is still more work to do. In 2013, I introduced the Restore Honor to Service Members Act to ensure that gay and lesbian veterans who were discharged from the military because of their sexual orientation receive the honor and recognition they deserve. I also sponsored the bipartisan Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act (DPBO), which would grant federal employees in same sex domestic partnerships the same rights, protections and obligations afforded to heterosexual married couples. Furthermore, I continue to fight to end discrimination against same-sex couples in federal immigration laws, urge passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and require the federal government to provide equal treatment to its LGBT employees.
More on Equality
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Reps. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Richard Hanna (R-NY) led a bipartisan letter to President Obama urging him to direct all federal agencies to prohibit discrimination in federal government contracting and subcontracting based on the sexual orientation or gender identity of the business owner.
Madison – U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (D-WI) released the following statement after Secretary Ash Carter officially announced the Department of Defense’s decision to lift its ban on transgender people from serving in the armed forces.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Co-Chair of the LGBT Equality Caucus, released the following statement on the tragic mass shooting in Orlando, Florida. The shooting claimed the lives of 49 people as they celebrated Pride Month, making it the largest mass shooting in our nation’s history.
WASHINGTON, D.C. – U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), along with 26 House Democrats, sent a letter to President Obama urging him to consider renegotiating the Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) to include explicit protections for the LGBT community.
Washington, DC – U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan (WI-02), Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus, released the following statement after Wisconsin Attorney General Brad Schimel joined 10 other states in challenging President Obama’s federal guidance for schools on how to protect the rights of all students regardless of gender identity:
By Rep. Mark Pocan
What a difference a decade has made for LGBT equality in Wisconsin. During a terribly homophobic week in Congress last month, I had to stop and remind myself of this point.
By Frank Schultz
WASHINGTON, D.C.—Rep. Mark Pocan says he usually gets along with his neighboring congressman, Speaker of the House Paul Ryan, but Pocan appears to be seeing red about action in the House this week.
Pocan, D-2nd District, issued a news release Thursday that criticized Ryan's actions as speaker and tied Ryan to the Republicans' presumptive presidential nominee, Donald Trump.
By: Michael K. Lavers
More than 30 members of Congress have signed a letter to Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to the U.S. that expresses concern over the country’s LGBT rights record.
The April 22 letter to Prince Abdullah Al Saud — which gay New York Congressman Sean Patrick Maloney spearheaded — notes “the use of torture and capital punishment against the LGBTQ community.”
WASHINGTON, D.C. – Reps. Mark Pocan (D-WI) and Charles Rangel (D-NY) today sent a letter to Chairman Mac Thornberry requesting the House Committee on Armed Services hold a hearing on the challenges faced by gay, lesbian, and bisexual service members who were discharged from the military on the basis of their sexual orientation.
MADISON – U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02) has yet to receive a response from Justice Rebecca Bradley after he extended an invitation to her to come and meet with the LGBT community and those living with HIV/AIDS, as well as others she targeted in a series of public writings.