Nancy Pelosi steps in for Tammy Baldwin's partner, who was nearly stopped by the Pentagon

[zulchzulu]

This is a great story and shows how there will be more recognition that gay couples are recognized officially in government matters. We should thank Nancy Pelosi for doing the right thing!


Tammy Baldwin

WASHINGTON -- The Pentagon at first blocked Rep. Tammy Baldwin's domestic partner from traveling on a military plane with a congressional delegation on a trip to Europe but gave in after House Speaker Nancy Pelosi intervened.
The Pentagon said it was merely following House rules, which do not define domestic partners as spouses. Pelosi's office countered that the Pentagon has its own rules about who can go on its planes.

Both sides agree that Defense Secretary Robert Gates reversed the decision to keep Baldwin's partner, Lauren Azar, off the plane after getting contacted by Pelosi, D-Calif.

"It's a matter of fairness that spouses should be allowed to go, and she is Ms. Baldwin's spouse," said Pelosi spokesman Brendan Daly. He said that Baldwin had raised the exclusion with a colleague, who mentioned it to Pelosi. The lawmakers visited France, the Czech Republic and Poland last month. Six members of Congress were on the trip and five of them were accompanied by their spouses, including Baldwin, her spokeswoman Jerilyn Goodman said today.

(snip)

In her letter to Gates last month, Pelosi wrote that she was using "the waiver authority inherent in the speaker's travel policies to authorize the travel of Ms. Lauren Azar to accompany Representative Tammy Baldwin on a congressional delegation scheduled for the March congressional work period. I request that you in turn use your waiver authority to facilitate Ms. Azar's participation in the delegation."

http://www.madison.com/tct/news/stories/279938

[saltpoint]

1. Good for Speaker Pelosi.

Doing the right thing matters.

Hiya, zulchzulu.

[zulchzulu]

7. Hey OC!

Hope your spring is coming along fine...

[saltpoint]

10. Mine's goin' good, and I'll wish you a good one right back.

[rodeodance]

2. yes, its the talk of the city. Thanks for posting

[terrya]

3. The next Democratic President needs to do something about this kind of discriminatory bullshit

This is an executive order. This blantantly inexcusible discrimination needs to end now.

And btw: good for Speaker Pelosi for doing this.

[rodeodance]

4. REC

[Hepburn]

5. Good for Nancy for insisting that the right thing be done!

:applause:

[Not the Only One]

6. What's Pelosi going to do about this?

The Pentagon said it was merely following House rules, which do not define domestic partners as spouses.

Nancy needs to show some leadership on this issue and get this resolved in the House rules.

[Chovexani]

8. Word.

The rules need to be changed so that this kind of intervention is not necessary in the future.

Good on Nancy for doing the right thing for once, though.

[zulchzulu]

9. She DID show leadership...what do you think the point of this was?

She could have pulled back. She didn't.