Barney Frank: Marriage Equality Will Be in Democratic Party Platform

[William769]

Source: The Advocate

Congressman Barney Frank of Massachusetts said in a telephone interview Monday that the Democratic Party will affirm its commitment to marriage equality in the platform currently being drafted and that the move has his “full support.”

“Yes, it will be in the platform,” said Frank. “I am in favor of it being included and it will be included.”

The out gay congressman, who is stepping down this year, sits on the 15-member platform drafting committee that heard testimony from advocates in Minneapolis this weekend. The committee will send recommendations to the full platform committee set to meet in Detroit next month. The process will culminate at the Democratic National Convention in Charlotte this September.

Frank said that the Democratic Party had already cemented its support for marriage equality with President Barack Obama’s refusal to defend the Defense of Marriage Act in court, while House Republicans have taken up the law’s defense. Nearly all House Republicans have also voted to reaffirm their support for DOMA, including approval of an amendment against "contravening" the 1996 law earlier this month.


Read more: http://www.advocate.com/politics/marriage-equality/2012/07/30/barney-frank-marriage-equality-will-be-demcoratic-party

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[petronius]

1. That is seriously awesome news! (nt)

[closeupready]

2. Thank you, Barney Frank!

[Rhiannon12866]

3. Very cool! K&R for Barney Frank!

[Fearless]

4. Breaking: Same-Sex Marriage Unanimously Included In DNC Platform Draft

A plank supporting same-sex marriage will be included as part of the Democratic National Committee’s (DNC) draft platform, according to an exclusive report at the Washington Blade, which notes it was a unanimous decision. Also included is language supporting ENDA and rejecting DOMA. Retiring Congressman Barney Frank “who sits on the committee, told the Washington Blade on Monday that the 15-member panel unanimously backed the inclusion of a marriage equality plank after a national hearing over the weekend in Minneapolis, in which several witnesses testified in favor of such language,” Chris Johnson, writing at the Blade, reported today:

“I was part of a unanimous decision to include it,” Frank said. “There was a unanimous decision in the drafting committee to include it in the platform, which I supported, but everybody was for it.”

http://thenewcivilrightsmovement.com/breaking-same-sex-marriage-unanimously-included-in-dnc-platform/politics/2012/07/30/45085

[William769]

5. +1.

[Le Taz Hot]

6. It wasn't already?

Well, good on 'em though I'm not sure what the hell took them so long.