House Resolution (H.R.) 1064, which condemns Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill, was introduced in the House last week and currently has 39 cosponsors. Representative Howard L. Berman (D-CA), chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee, is the primary sponsor of the bill. He is joined by other cosponsors, including the House Foreign Affairs Committee’s Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), House Financial Services Committee Chairman Barney Frank (D-MA), Subcommittee on Africa and Global Health Chair Donald Payne (D-NJ), Congressional Black Caucus Chair Barbara Lee (D-CA), and Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus Co-Chair Tammy Baldwin (D-WI).
The Senate introduced a similar resolution — S.R. 409 — on February 4, 2010, that recognizes the unjust nature of Uganda’s Anti-Homosexuality Bill and includes a clause that addresses the threat the bill poses by way of stigmatization and criminalization to the efficacy of the President’s Emergency Plan for AIDS Relief (PEPFAR) program. Original cosponsors of the resolution include Senators Feingold (D-WI), Coburn (R-OK), Cardin (D-MD), and Collins (R-ME).
Want more background on the Ugandan anti-homosexuality bill? Check out our blog posts from December and January.
Take Action
While both resolutions have garnered strong bipartisan support, more cosponsors are urgently needed. Tomorrow, we’ll be sending out an action alert which will give you the chance to email your Senators and Congressperson to urge them to support these resolutions.
In the meantime, please contact your House and Senate representatives and urge them to cosponsor these resolutions. Call the congressional switchboard, 202-224-3121, to easily connect with House Representative and Senate offices. Let your Congress members know why you support the bill. And check back tomorrow for an email action on this critical health and human rights issue!
Everything that can possibly be done to stop this potentially catastrophic law from being enacted should be done in the name of global humanity.
Being that we live in the year 2010, it is inconceivable to me that any nation could pass a dangerous law which discriminates & penalizes any one group of citizens. It sickens me to learn that many Republicans along with their church masters which includes my Senator James Inhofe from the great state of racism, homophobia, and sexism we know otherwise as Oklahoma disturbs me even more! The time is NOW for all fair minded House and Senate members to stand united against hate in Uganda. End any and all funding by tax payer dollars to this hateful nation if they pass this dangerous bill. It is important for American politicians to stand up for Democracy now more than ever. If you remain silent this could be seen as an endorsement for other nations to follow in Uganda’s foot steps. Act now and pass HR 1064 in the House and S.R. 409 in the Senate immediately!
Is this Hypocrisy?!!!
In September 2009, at least 30 people who were demonstrating were put out of action by the Uganda military. No western government, not even the U.S came out to condemn this brutal act. Today, a resolution is being introduced in the U.S Congress to condemn a proposed bill which aims at persecuting alleged gays in Uganda. While am against this bill aimed at persecuting gays in Uganda, i question the selective nature of law makers in thew U.S to come out to condemn some acts which seem to befit their own interests while ignoring others which they deem irrelevant to their cause. To me this is hypocrisy of the highest order on the side of the United States. Justice should be seen to be applied across the board.
All folks out there whoever should relax because this bill will never be enacted into law by Uganda Parliament.