House Minority Leader Nancy
Pelosi. (CNSNews.com/Penny Starr)
(CNSNews.com) – House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said at a press conference at the Capitol on Thursday that the Democrats’ goal to make homosexual marriage the law of the land could not be accomplished “legislatively,” but was achieved through “the courts.”
“Another piece of our agenda was to promote marriage equality in our country,” Pelosi said in explaining her party’s “four point” plan to advance the homosexual lifestyle.
“Legislatively, we couldn’t really succeed, but from the courts and the rest, and public opinion, of course, in the actual courts and in the court of public opinion, that victory has been won,” Pelosi said, referring to the Supreme Court decision in June that said state bans on same-sex marriage were unconstitutional.
The press conference was held to advance the Equality Act, or HR 3185, which would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as protected classes under the law.
The 1964 law bans discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, or national origin.
Describing the Equality Act as “so about American values,” Pelosi detailed the Democrats’ plan to advance the homosexual agenda.
“Just to place where we are in context from the standpoint of Congress, when we came into the majority we had four points – it was a four-legged stool of what we wanted to accomplish – to pass a fully inclusive hate crimes legislation,” Pelosi said, adding that some urged against the inclusion of “transgender” but that was rejected and the effort succeeded.
(AP photo.)
The second “leg,” according to Pelosi,” was the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” making open homosexuality acceptable in the United State military branches.
This “would not have happened without the president’s leadership and courage – and that is the repeal of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell,” Pelosi said.
Marriage equality was the third leg, she continued, and added that the fourth goal was to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, or ENDA, which has not become law.
But, Pelosi said, the Equality Act would accomplish that and more.
“So there was one other piece, which was ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) – ending discrimination in the workplace, which was really a very important piece of the agenda,” Pelosi said. “But as we were seeing the successes and the momentum – especially the marriage equality – we saw the opportunity to do something bigger.”
Pelosi and other Democrats at the press conference announced they have sent a letter to Rep. Robert Goodlatte (R-Va.), head of the House Judiciary Committee, urging him to set up a hearing for the Equality Act.