The repeal effort of "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" provisions targeting GLBT soldiers, as we all know by now, was successful at the end of the last Congress, with the backing of President Obama.
On the 7th of July 2011 during debate on HR 2219 The Department of Defense Appropriations bill Virginia Foxx(R-NC) offered amendment 41 to HR 2219 designed to prevent funds in the appropriations bill from being spent on GLBT spouses in contravention to the Defense of Marriage Act.
And to remind readers: This is the same Virginia Foxx who on the floor of the House denounced those (including Mathew's mother Judy who was watching the debate in the gallery at the time of Foxx speech) who claimed that Mathew Shepard was a victim of a hate crime. Foxx asserted Mathew Shepard was merely the victim of a random mugging and the fact he was strung up on a barbed wire fence to die was unfortunate, but no hate crime.
The Foxx Amendment passed 248 - 175 with 8 not voting.
Republicans supported it 229 - 6 with 4 not voting.
Democrats opposed the Foxx Amendment 19 -169 with 4 not voting.
The most important point to make about Amendment 41 to HR 2219 is that the Foxx Amendment is every bit as redundant legally as the effort to put Constitutional gay marriage bans in state Constitutions in states that already banned gay marriage. Absent the Foxx amendment, no funds would be spent on GLBT spouses anyway as DOMA prevents such spending currently.
The reality is this roll call was merely a red meat vote to prove to the Religious Right that Republicans were still adamantly opposed to repeal of DADT, and would continue to harass the repeal of DADT to the best of their ability. Passing the Foxx amendment would in no way change current policy on spending on GLBT spouses.
So what was the result of this unnecessary, irrelevant homophobic Amendment? 6 Republicans voted no and NINETEEN Democrats voted yes, to nurture a climate of intolerance and hate in the military against the GLBT community.
The six Republicans who voted against redundant homophobia towards GLBT spouses were:
1. Mary Bono-Mack - Ca.
2. Ilena Ros-Lehtinen - Fla.
3. Mario Diaz-Balart - Fla.
4. Judy Biggart - IL.
5. Nan Hayworth - NY (must fear for re-election as she is a self professed TeaBagger)
6. Richard Hanna - NY
Interesting to note 4 of the 6 Republicans to oppose homophobia were women.
Meanwile 19 Democrats, all males, voted to maintain a culture of harassment against GLBT spouses, despite the fact they were told this amendment would have no legal impact, it was all right wing hate fluff. The fact these 19 Democratic House members voted yes on the Foxx Amendment anyway speaks volumes about their values.
1. Mike Ross - Ark.
2. Sanford Bishop - Ga.
3. John Barrow - Ga.
4. Daniel Lipinski - IL.
5. Jerry Costello - IL.
6. Joe Donnelly - Ind. (Dem nominee for Richard Lugar's Senate seat - Joe Donnelly will never receive a profile in Courage for his stances on GLBT issues)
7. Ben Chandler - KY
8. Colin Petersen - Minn.
9. Mike McIntyre - NC (redistricting troubles)
10. Larry Kissell - NC (also in redistricting trouble)
11. Heath Schuler - NC (badly hurt by redistricting)
12. Dan Boren - Oklahoma (retiring age 38 and don't miss him already)
13. Jason Altmire - PA
14. Mark Critz - PA
15. Tim Holden - PA
16. Henry Cuellar - TX (he just joined the Pelosi leadership team)
17. Gene Green - TX
18. Jim Matheson - Utah
19. Nick Rahall - WVa
Comment: There remains a very real probability that Jason Altmire and Mark Critz may be drawn into the same Congressional district when the GOP redraws Pennsylvania House district lines. The fact neither took an opportunity to broaden his appeal in a Democratic primary electorate is curious if not outright troubling especially given Jason Altmire's record on GLBT issues is mixed, not uniformly hostile to issues of import to the GLBT community.
Comment II: Jason Altmire, Ben Chandler, Larry Kissell, Henry Cuellar, and Tim Matheson have not exhibited uniformly homophobic voting patterns in the past compared to the other Democrats listed above, and these five members in particular have a lot of explaining to do. Especially Henry Cuellar who recently joined the Nancy Pelosi leadership team. The other Democrats in the above list all have anti-gay voting records, so their vote on Amendment 41 to HR 2219 merely continues their pattern of using the GLBT community as a tool for triangulation.
link to complete roll call vote: http://www.govtrack.us/...