Peter Roskam’s Appalling Record on Gay Rights

On October 14, 2009, in Civil Rights, Gay Rights, Human Rights, Peter Roskam, by RSR
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In light of this past week’s events – the march on Washington, the President’s speech to the Human Rights Campaign, the vote on federal hate crimes legislation – it seems appropriate to review our own Congressman Peter Roskam’s record on issues of importance to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered community. It is not a pretty picture.

The Human Rights Campaign, the nation’s largest civil rights organization, labors to achieve full equality for LGBT people. For each Congress, HRC produces a scorecard detailing each representative’s votes and co-sponsorships on issues of key importance to the community. Roskam was first scored for the 110th Congress which ended last year, Roskam’s first term in office.

Roskam scored a zero. That mean’s that Roskam opposed LGBT rights 100% of the time, a distinguished record of legislative homophobia:

  • The Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1592) would expand federal jurisdiction to reach serious, violent hate crimes perpetrated because of the victim’s race, color, religion, national origin, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or disability. The House passed the bill on May 3, 2007, by a vote of 237-180 (Roll Call Vote No. 299, 1st Session, 110th Congress). Democrats — 212 yes, 14 no,6 not voting; Republicans — 25 yes, 166 no, 10 not voting. HRC supported the bill. Peter Roskam voted NO.
  • Rep. Lamar Smith (R-Texas) offered a motion to recommit promptly the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act (H.R. 1592). The motion would amend the bill to add the categories of senior citizens and members of the armed forces to the legislation, but also wouldrefer the bill back to committee, effectively killing the bill. The motion was defeated on May 3, 2007, by a vote of 189-227 (Roll Call Vote No. 298, 1st Session, 110th Congress). Democrats — 9 yes, 216 no, 7 not voting; Republicans — 180 yes, 11 no, 10 not voting. HRC opposed the motion to recommit. Peter Roskam voted to kill the bill.
  • The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3685) would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation. The House passed the bill on Nov. 7, 2007, by a vote of 235-184 (Roll Call Vote No. 1057, 1st Session, 110th Congress). Democrats — 200 yes, 25 no, 8 not voting; Republicans — 35 yes, 159 no, 6 not voting. HRC supported the bill. Peter Roskam voted against the ban on discrimination.
  • Rep. Randy Forbes (R-Va.) offered a motion to recommit promptly the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3685). The motion stated that the bill would have no impact on state or federal definitions of marriage as being between one man and one woman, but also would refer the bill back to committee, effectively killing the bill. The motion was defeated on Nov. 7, 2007, by a vote of 198-222 (Roll Call Vote No. 1056, 1st Session, 110th Congress). Democrats — 14 yes, 214 no, 5 not voting; Republicans — 184 yes, 8 no, 8 not voting. HRC opposed the motion to recommit. Peter Roskam voted to kill the bill.
  • Members of Congress were asked to co-sponsor legislation, introduced on April 24, 2007, that would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. As of Oct. 3, 2008, the measure had 185 co-sponsors: Democrats 179; Republicans 6. Peter Roskam refused to co-sponsor the legislation.
  • Members of Congress were asked to co-sponsor legislation, introduced on Feb. 28, 2007, that would repeal the discriminatory “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy that denies lesbian, gay and bisexual soldiers the right to serve their country openly. As of Oct. 3, 2008, the measure had 149 co-sponsors: Democrats 146; Republicans 3. Peter Roskam refused to help end discrimination against LGBT soldiers.
  • Members of Congress were asked to co-sponsor legislation, introduced on March 29, 2007, that would equalize tax treatment for employer-provided health coverage for domestic partners and other non-spouse, non-dependent beneficiaries. As of Oct. 3, 2008, the measurehad 120 co-sponsors: Democrats 116; Republicans 4. Peter Roskam refused to work for equality.
  • Members of Congress were asked to co-sponsor legislation, introduced on May 8, 2007, that would amend the Immigration and Nationality Act to provide same-sex partners of U.S. citizens and lawful permanent residents the same immigration benefits that legal spouses of U.S. permanent residents enjoy. As of Oct. 3, 2008, the measure had 119 co-sponsors: Democrats 118; Republicans 1. Peter Roskam refused to help LGBT immigrants.

These coupled with Roskam’s vote last week to defund the military rather than approve federal hate crimes legislation paint a picture of a legislator who is agressively anti-gay. LGBT residents of the 6th District need to pressure Roskam to stop voting against equality.

In case you haven’t seen it, here is President Obama’s speech to the HRC last week. Obama vows to sign the hate crimes legislation and to end “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell”. I don’t doubt his sincerity of intent. But I sincerely hope that he will take action sooner rather than later. It is growing harder to rationalize support for a party that has so often disappointed when it comes to LGBT rights.

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Peter Roskam’s Constituents Need Health Coverage – Roskam Gives Them a Blog Instead

On June 25, 2009, in Economic Justice, Healthcare, Peter Roskam, by RSR
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In his latest attempt to distract 6th District residents from his absolute refusal to do anything to meet their real needs, Republican Congressman Peter Roskam has launched the “Medi-Fraud Blog” at his Congressional website.  Aside from using your tax dollars to in another misguided public relations scheme to shore up his image in the district, Roskam’s new blog has two main goals:

  • To distract you from the real issues in the current national discussion as to how we can best insure the 45 million Americans who currently have no health coverage
  • To scare you into believing that real health reform is just too dangerous an undertaking now with all the scary criminals seeking to defraud the government and that the 45 million Americans who don’t have access to the quality healthcare that Roskam’s family receives courtesy of the taxpayers will just have to wait … for oh say 10 to 20 years until we can get this fraud thing under control.

Peter Roskam’s press secretary, Dan, each day will tell you a story about some crooks who made a killing defrauding Medicare – until they got caught. It will be just like  “COPS” on a blog except that everyone will be wearing their shirts.

Well at least this will give you something cool to read while you are performing your own appendectomy at the kitchen table. (This is may not be so bad an idea. My goodfriend Jon had our other friend Tony, who is a pretty good mechanic, sew up a nasty gash in his leg last summer because Jon didn’t have any insurance. It left kind of a big scar but there was no infection. So you can probably do it too – if Roskam doesn’t change his mind about health insurance for everyone).

Did I mention that Peter Roskam is working against universal coverage? Because that is the most important thing you need to know. Your Congressman, Peter Roskam, the one guy who’s job it is to work to  get you a fair shake in Washington, is actively working to defeat any Democratic proposal to give insurance coverage to people here in Illinois who don’t presently have any. It would be too expensive, a misuse of your tax dollars.

And did I mention that Peter Roskam has an excellent health plan for himself and his family, paid for by your tax dollars? I wrote about it once before here. I guess that’s part of why it just doesn’t matter to Congressman Roskam whether we do anything about health reform this year. His family is already taken care of.

So, enjoy Peter’s blog. And be sure and post your comments about what a great Congressman Peter Roskam is because he’s fighting the commies in Washington who want to make sure everybody has healthcare whether they’re rich or a Congressman or not. (Be nice. Dan will be weeding out all the bad things people say). And good luck with that appendectomy.

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Peter Roskam’s Legislative Beauty Pageant Insulting to Constituents’ Intelligence

On May 7, 2008, in George Bush, Iran, Iraq, Peter Roskam, by RSR
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What do you do if you are a cocky, first-term Republican Congressman who has hitched his wagon securely to the most unpopular President in American history, and now, as the time for re-election draws near, you realize you are in trouble?

What do you do if you have spent your first term in office ignoring the real needs of your constituents in order to cater to the wishes of the fat cats who paid for your campaign?

Well, if you are Peter Roskam, you come up with some lame gimmick to try and convince the residents of your district that you give a damn.

Roskam recently announced, in front of an auditorium virtually devoid of an audience, his “There Ought to Be a Law” competition, asking his constituents to go to his website and submit their legislative ideas. Roskam will then pick the top five ideas and allow his constituents to vote on which should be drafted into a bill by Roskam.

Roskam rationalizes the contest this way:

“As a new member of Congress, I have learned first-hand what most 6th District residents already know, Washington is broken. Partisan politics have hamstrung Congress’ ability to find solutions to the most pressing problems our nation faces.

“The constituents I represent are reasonable folks with sound ideas – and it’s time to send a little more 6th District solutions to Washington.

This, of course, is ridiculous. What is broken, what isn’t working, is Roskam. Roskam has been presented with a wealth of good ideas during his first term:

  • A fair minimum wage
  • Equal pay for equal work
  • Non discrimination in employment
  • Help for homeowners struggling with out of control mortgage payments
  • Tougher standards to prevent workplace injuries
  • Development of alternative energy sources
  • Ending the practice of torture
  • Providing health coverage to uninsured Illinois children
  • Congressional ethics reform
  • Health and employment services for returning veterans

To name just a few. Democrats in Congress, working for change, have proposed them all. Roskam has opposed them all for partisan reasons and to please those who lavish campaign contributions upon him. Roskam has a lot of nerve complaining about partisanship.

Nevertheless, I shall humor my Congressman. Here are my 5 modest ideas for your consideration, Peter:

  1. De-fund the present occupation of Iraq and provide for an orderly withdrawal of American troops from that country.
  2. Reclaim Congressional war powers and act to prevent the President from initiating a new military conflict with Iraq.
  3. Draft articles of impeachment against the President and Vice President for their illegal use of domestic surveillance, their illegal practice of torture and rendition to torture, for their politicization of the justice department, for outing an inteligence officer, etc. etc. etc.
  4. Definitively outlaw the practice of torture and of warrant-less domestic surveillance.
  5. Sign on in support of the new GI bill to help the men and women who have put their lives in jeopardy in Iraq and Afghanistan for the good of us all and are returning to face unemployment and economic and medical hardships.

So that’s my entry, Peter. I’m afraid that if I enter them on your web site they won’t see the light of day. So I’m challenging you here, publicly, to take them up. I know from my logs that your office reads this blog.

You will probably label my ideas as extreme or nutty. But I know that I am not alone among your constituents in thinking this way. I encourage my fellow residents of the 6th to really speak their minds and see if you are for real.

For my part, if you do these 5 things, I promise I’ll vote for you in November.

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