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Congressman Nadler – UAFA ‘Will Not Stand Alone’ – Must Fight for ImmigrationEquality Via Reform

Congressman Nadler Outlines UAFA Strategy Bi-nationals Brace For a Crash Landing – Senator Schumer Squarely on the Hook with LGBT Activists

Melanie Nathan, 3-23-10 . 11.30 PM: The Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and Transgender community have long sought parity in US immigration laws.  One of the most reprehensible aspects of inequality is one that physically separates spouses and families, especially where a portion of the population is singled out for this prejudicial existence.

Having now accomplished Health Care Reform, it is apparent that President Obama has acquired the momentum and political capital to fuel the leadership necessary to fulfill the next campaign promise, that of  immigration reform.  Why then are our congressional leaders still asserting impossible?

Late last year, Congressman Luis Gutierrez (D-IL) and Solomon Ortiz (D-TX) introduced HR 4321: the  (so called) Comprehensive Immigration Reform for America’s Security and Prosperity Act of 2009—or “CIR . “  Now we wait, with bated breath, for the Senate version of the Bill to be introduced, at any moment, by Democratic Senator Chuck Schumer and Republican Lindsey Graham, being touted a bi-partisan Bill.

Rep Gutierrez’s Bill, however, snubbed gay and lesbian couples, much to the upset of the LGBT community and bi-national same-sex couples, by failing to attach UAFA, the Uniting American Families Act, H.R. 1024, S. 424) a U.S. bill to amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to eliminate discrimination in the immigration laws against gay couples seeking spousal/ partner sponsorship for green cards,  as a critical component to his version of comprehensive immigration reform.  Is he thinking that we should not have immigration equality?  Is he going to attach UAFA later in the process? Does he think UAFA should be a stand-alone Bill.  As to the latter Congressman Nadler,  says UAFA will not be a stand alone bill.

Tonight, Congressman Nadler, headlined a special “strategy call,” to discuss the future of the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) and added to the quandary of the Gutierrez snub; with approximately 100 gay activists and bi-national partners listening in on the call, Congressman Nadler stated emphatically, “The leadership has made it clear that UAFA will only be passed if it is in the form of an attachment to comprehensive immigration reform and that it will not be pursued as stand- alone by the congressional leadership.” (Speaker Nancy Pelosi and Reps Zoe Lofgren and John Conyers.)  While this leadership is refusing to pursue UAFA as a separate Bill,   they have subscribed to including us in comprehensive immigration reform as the only possible way bi-nationals same-sex partners would obtain immigration equality, at this time.

So what in heaven’s name was Luis Gutierrez thinking when he excluded UAFA?  Did he know leadership would be refusing to pursue UAFA as a stand alone bill?  Has there been dialogue between House leadership and Gutierrez; how are they going to reconcile this snub? If you have leadership saying we MUST be included in CIR and the author and sponsor of the Bill failing to do so, what are they thinking? No equality for the queer couples?  ANSWER – Call Gutierrez again – write him and say:

“Dear Rep, Gutierrez , Tonight Congressman Nadler told us that House leadership will not pursue UAFA as a stand alone Bill, yet you excluded our b i-national same-sex permanent partners from your Immigration Reform Bill?  We demand Answers: 1. Did you know that the leadership refuse to pursue UAFA as a stand alone?  2. Do you intend to leave us out of Immigration reform for the duration of the Process?   Unless we receive satisfactory explanation from you, we can only assume prejudice on your part and a desire to keep LGBT immigration law, broken as you fix it for the rest of America.”

Bi-nationals same sex couples now await Senator Schumer’s version of CIR and for him to include UAFA, attached to his Senate reform Bill.   Senator Schumer has indicated his support for UAFA, more than once, in a video of his comments at the Hearing for UAFA and in a  recent letter to constituents, which we previously reported.

Nadler also mentioned the Schumer letter on tonight’s telephone call, asserting that Senator Schumer’s letter clearly indicates his support of UAFA’s inclusion in CIR.  However, Schumer has yet to come out and say that he is including UAFA in his reform bill.  What if he does not? Do we  ask the same questions of Schumer as we now do of Gutierrez?

An earlier article which I posted on this site, reveals a source close to Senator Schumer informed LGR that the Senator was planning to exclude UAFA; however much pressure has been brought to bear on the Senator, since the article posted, and his letter in fact followed the article, seeming to dispel my revelation and the information which I had received.  If the pressure already brought to bear will be of any influence, great!  But what if Schumer does not include UAFA?   What next?  Rep. Nadler said we would have to go through the Judiciary Committee or the Immigration Committee.  A little risky strategy – no real plan B and Plan A is not yet more than a vague nod.

When asked about the Catholic Bishops,  Nadler confirmed what I reported in my earlier article on LGR, that the Catholic Bishops had in fact given an ultimatum (to Schumer) – they actually came out and said they would NOT support immigration Reform that included UAFA.  Nadler said what the Bishops say should not hinder the legislation;  albeit they were one of the most powerful groups in the mix and that we must push forward regardless.

This is a supportive  Senator – do not allow him to ignore our plight, or to postpone his intent.

“Dear Senator Schumer, you cannot leave us out of CIR; you cannot buckle under the glare of religious groups. You swore an oath of allegiance to the Constitution and now we expect you to abide – the Church has no place in influencing legislation, it flies in the face of everything America Stands for, Please find the courage to do the right thing.”

Nadler asserted that this would be the only way – for UAFA to pass- and that would be via passage with a larger immigration reform bill.  The votes would need to be 217 in the House and at least 51 in the Senate.  Congressman Nadler has led the fight for UAFA and is highly respected by activists and the LGBT community, reputed to be one of the most dedicated in the fight for immigration equality.  His ideas are to be trusted and his leadership followed.

However what if UAFA is NOT included in the immigration reform bill by Schumer?  When asked the question, Nadler said that we needed to push very hard, to keep pushing speaker Nancy Pelosi, and Reps Lofgren and Conyers and to really apply the pressure to Senator Chuck Schumer and Senator Patrick Leahy,

So with UAFA as a stand- alone now completely out of the purview of our congressional leadership, we must fight for UAFA to be included in reform legislation.

ACTION: According to Rep. Nadler, we must apply the pressure in a BIG way and push very hard  now for inclusion– and I although I find this sense of desperation a contradiction to Nadler’s assertion that Schumer’s letter was clear that we will be included in his legislation, I too have to ask you all to continue the aggressive and constant barrage of stories, letters, begging, and what ever it takes – chain yourself to Schumer’s conscience with your heart wrenching stories.

Even if you have sent your story to your own Congressional representative and Senator/s, resend via fax or email; include pictures, and be sure to get copies to Nancy Pelosi, Zoe Lofgren, John Conyers and other leaders in Congress. Send it to President Obama as well, Lindsey Graham, incumbents who need to be re-elected, Senators Leahy, Arlen Specter, Dianne Feinstein, of course Schumer.

Ask your member of congress to take a leadership role and talk to other members to speak up of equality and human rights.   Get your relatives to write, make calls.  We MUST overwhelm them and it must be now!

If we are not included then there is the possibility that we can be later on in the process and so the pressure must be applied even after an exclusionary Bill is introduced.

Amos Lim from Out4Imigration, who was on the call last night, said that Rep Nadler reiterated that “it is important important to make sure that the Speaker, the Judiciary Committee Chairs and the Immigration Sub-committee Chairs of both the House and the Senate hears from us that LGBT Families needs to be included in the Comprehensive Immigration Reform bill.”

Also ask your reps to call Schumer to request him to include UAFA in Immigration reform – this could be done in a phone call. Get on face book, on your blogs, to your families, and twitter and get your friends busy. Demand t leadership by your own representatives. Ask them to approach leadership to bring this the emergency status it deserves.

By:  Melanie Nathan
nathan@privatecourts.com
www.privatecourts.com
Conflict Resolution, Human Rights & Equality Advocacy
@oblogdeeoblogda

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Picture, by Melanie Nathan, Pride 2009 A week of DADT and UAFA.... and its Advocates.

Dan Choi pictred with Shirkey Tan & Jay Mercado /Family.

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• House Members Call on President, House, and Senate Leadership: Melanie Nathan – “this makes the Case for UAFA as an Urgent Stand Alone!” (lezgetreal.com)
• Senator Chuck Schumer Is Planning To Exclude Gay And Lesbians From Immigration Reform Bill (topix.net)
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