Sen. Mark Warner's Office to Hold Meeting on GLBT Issues in Roanoke

Roanoke Equality has received an invitation from the office of Senator Mark Warner inviting members to attend a meeting in the senator's Roanoke office on Salem Ave. to address our concerns. The invitation reads as follows:

Lou Kadiri
Constituent Services Director for Senator Mark Warner

Beatriz Ibarra, legislative counsel to Senator Warner, will be in Roanoke Friday, Sept. 3. We are hosting a meeting with Beatriz at the Senate office from 10 a.m. to 11 a.m. that Friday and invite the local GLBT community to discuss any legislative concerns/issues they might have (including DADT).

We look forward to seeing you there.

Best,

Lou Arnatt Kadiri
Office of Senator Mark R. Warner
129B Salem Ave SW, Roanoke VA 24011
(PH: 540-857-2676 FX: 540-857-2800
http://warner.senate.gov/public/

Please do what you can to attend this meeting. This is a rare opportunity for Roanoke's LGBT community to air our concerns to someone who can do something about it. Visit the Roanoke Equality FaceBook event page to RSVP to this event. Tell Senator Warner that you want him to move forward on repealing Don't Ask, Don't Tell and urge him to push for the passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

September is Pride Month in Roanoke. Parties and festivals are great, but this is a chance for you to step up and make your voice heard. Support Roanoke Equality's efforts. Support your community. Show your true pride and attend this very important meeting.

Related articles by Zemanta

• We are calling on you Senator Warner: Vote to Repeal Don't Ask Don't Tell! (pinkbananaworld.com)
• Senator Warner: Support DADT Repeal Now! (pinkbananaworld.com)

Sen. Kristin Gillbrand introduces DADT Repeal legislation

In a post on DailyKos this week, Sen. Kristin Gillibrand (D-NY), who replaced Hilary Clinton in the U.S. Senate,  announced that she will be introducing legislation calling for the repeal on Don't Ask, Don't Tell, the Clinton era ban on gays and lesbians serving openly in the U.S. armed forces.

From DailyKos:

"To that end, I've secured the commitment from Senator Carl Levin, Chair of the Armed Services Committee, to hold the first hearing on the policy since it began 16 years ago. Chairman Levin expects to hold the hearing soon and it's my hope that it will be instrumental in demonstrating the level of support that exists for repeal not only throughout the country -- where polls consistently indicate that solid majorities oppose the policy -- but within the military itself.

I'm happy to see that, as the Senate Armed Services Committee hearing approaches, there are signs of momentum building toward repeal.

On September 24, Majority Leader Harry Reid sent letters to the President and Secretary Gates reiterating his support for repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell and requesting their recommendations to Congress on the policy. I agree with Senator Reid. I know the President opposes DADT, and I am confident he and his Administration will work to engage Congressional and military leaders in this debate."

Read the full post at DailyKos.