Democratic Vice Presidential Candidate Senator Joe Biden to be Featured Speaker at Human Rights Campaign National Dinner
Nation’s largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender advocacy group endorsed Democratic ticket in June
WASHINGTON - The Human Rights Campaign, the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender civil rights group, today announced that Democratic Vice Presidential nominee Senator Joe Biden will be the featured speaker at the organization's Twelfth Annual National Dinner in Washington D.C. on October 4th.
"I'm honored to participate in this event. Discrimination has no place in this country and I am proud to stand with HRC in the fight to end it," said Senator Joe Biden. "Barack Obama and I will bring the change we need in Washington. The Bush Administration's policies have been disastrous for the LGBT community and a McCain Administration would just mean four more years of the same."
Senator Joe Biden has a proven record of fighting for and supporting issues of equality, including opposing a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage; supporting the Employment Non-Discrimination Act; favoring a repeal of Don't Ask Don't Tell; and expanding existing hate crimes law to include the LGBT community.
"I am truly thrilled and honored that Senator Joe Biden will be joining us at the HRC National Dinner," said Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "Senator Biden's record in the United States Senate is one of support and understanding that has been unwavering throughout his career. In this critical election year, his outspoken advocacy for the LGBT community is invaluable."
HRC endorsed the Democratic presidential ticket in June and took an active role at the Democratic National Committee Convention in Denver.
Personal finance expert Suze Orman will also deliver remarks at the HRC National Dinner, where she will be presented with the National Equality Award. Past National Equality Award recipients include House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, tennis legend Billie Jean King, musician and activist Cyndi Lauper, actress Jessica Lange, Bishop Gene Robinson, and director Steven Spielberg.
"Suze has earned her place as America's favorite and most trusted personal finance expert. Her work shows that concerns about paying our bills, feeding and clothing our children, and buying homes transcend sexual orientation, gender idenity, race, sex, politics and religion," continued Solmonese.
The National Dinner will be held in Hall D of Washington's Convention Center. More than 3,000 are expected to attend the event, which will be chaired by Janet Carter and Jackson Palmer. Along with Biden's address and Orman's award presentation, the dinner will also feature political speakers, a silent auction and entertainment.
- WHAT: Human Rights Campaign Twelfth Annual National Dinner
- WHEN: Saturday, Oct. 4, 2008
- WHERE: Washington Convention Center, Hall D, 801 Mt. Vernon Place NW, Washington, D.C.
Ticket Info: Tickets for the event may be reserved online at boxofficetickets.com or hrcnationaldinner.org. To reserve tickets by phone, call Box Office Tickets at 800/494-8497.
Credentialing: Media pre-registration required. To receive credentials for the dinner, please contact Rachel Balick at rachel.balick@hrc.org.
The Human Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working to achieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring and engaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against GLBT citizens and realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
Highlights of Senator Joe Biden's Record of Support for the GLBT Community
- 101st Congress (1989-1990): Overall Scorecard Rating 90%
- 102nd Congress (1991-1992): Overall Scorecard Rating 91%
- 103rd Congress (1993-1994): Overall Scorecard Rating 89%
- 104th Congress (1995-1996): Overall Scorecard Rating 78%
- 105th Congress (1997-1998): Overall Scorecard Rating 83%
- 106th Congress (1999-2000): Overall Scorecard Rating 86%
- 107th Congress (2001-2002): Overall Scorecard Rating 100%
- 108th Congress (2003-2004): Overall Scorecard Rating 63%
- 109th Congress (2005-2006): Overall Scorecard Rating 78%
Helms Amendment - Hate Crimes Statistics Act (February 8, 1990)
- Senator Helms offered an amendment to a hate crimes statistics bill (S. AMDT. 1251 to S. 419) stating that "the homosexual movement threatens the strength and survival of the American family" and that "state sodomy laws should be enforced." The Helms amendment failed 19-77 (Record Vote No. 12). HRC opposed this amendment. Biden also opposed it.
District of Columbia's Health Care Benefits Expansion Act (July 30, 1992)
- Senator Brock Adams (D-WA) offered a procedural motion to block attempts to repeal the District of Columbia's Health Care Benefits Expansion Act, a measure adopted by the D.C. Council to provide D.C. government employees the opportunity to purchase health care coverage for their domestic partners. The motion failed 41-51 and implementation of the D.C. law was subsequently prohibited by Congress. HRC supported this motion. Biden also supported it.
Justice Clarence Thomas Confirmation (October 15, 1991)
- The Senate voted on President George H.W. Bush's nomination of Clarence Thomas to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed his nomination 52-48 (Record Vote No. 220). HRC opposed this nomination. Biden also opposed it.
Hate Crimes Sentencing Enhancement (November 4, 1993)
- Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-CA) offered an amendment to the Violent Crime Control and Law Enforcement Act of 1993 (S. AMDT. 1097 to S. 1607) to increase penalties for federal crimes motivated by the victim's sexual orientation and other characteristics. The Feinstein Amendment was the first piece of federal legislation to provide protection on the basis of sexual orientation. The amendment passed 95-4 (Record Vote No. 351). HRC supported this amendment. Biden also supported it.
Codification of the Ban on Gays and Lesbians in the Military (September 9, 1993)
- Senator Barbara Boxer (D-CA) offered an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act of 1994 (S. AMDT. 783 to S. 1298) to prevent codification of the discriminatory "Don't Ask, Don't Tell" policy on lesbians and gays in the military. The amendment failed 33-63 (Record Vote No. 250). HRC supported this amendment. Biden also supported it.
District of Columbia's Domestic Partners Ordinance (July 27, 1993)
- An amendment was offered to allow the District of Columbia to implement its ordinance allowing unmarried couples or partners to register with the D.C. government, making them eligible for group health insurance offered to D.C. government employees for a higher premium. It failed 43-55 (Record Vote No. 217). HRC supported this amendment. Biden also supported it.
Employment Non-Discrimination Act (September 10, 1996)
- In its first test in Congress, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (S. 932), which would prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, came within one vote of passage in the Senate. Senator David Pryor (D AR), who supported ENDA, missed the vote for a family emergency. The bill failed 49-50 (Record Vote No. 281). HRC supported this bill. Biden also supported it.
Hate Crimes Amendment to Defense Authorization (June 20, 2000)
- Senators Edward Kennedy (D-MA) and Gordon Smith (R-OR) introduced the Hate Crimes Prevention Act, renamed the Local Law Enforcement Enhancement Act, as an amendment to the fiscal year 2001 defense authorization bill (S. AMDT. 3473 to S. 2549). The Kennedy-Smith amendment would extend basic hate crime protections to all Americans in all communities by adding real or perceived sexual orientation, gender and disability to the categories covered and by removing the federally protected activity requirement. This amendment was overwhelmingly approved 57-42 (Record Vote No. 136). HRC supported this amendment. Biden also supported it.
Federal Marriage Amendment (July 14, 2004)
- The Federal Marriage Amendment (S.J. Res 40), introduced in the Senate by Senator Wayne Allard (R-CO), would have enshrined discrimination into the U.S. Constitution by defining marriage as the union between one man and one woman and prohibiting federal and state laws from conferring same-sex couples with marital status and "the legal incidents thereof," thereby endangering civil unions and domestic partnership benefits. The amendment needed a two-thirds majority (67) to be passed in the Senate and a three-fifths majority (60) to proceed to a vote on the amendment (cloture). The cloture motion failed 48-50 (Record Vote No. 155). HRC opposed this cloture motion. Biden also opposed it.
Federal Marriage Amendment (June 7, 2006)
- The Marriage Protection Amendment (formerly called the Federal Marriage Amendment) (S.J. Res. 1) would have enshrined discrimination into the U.S. Constitution by defining marriage as the union between one man and one woman and prohibiting federal and state laws from conferring same-sex couples with marital status and "the legal incidents thereof." The amendment would thereby endanger civil unions and domestic partnership benefits. The amendment failed by a vote of 49-48, falling 11 votes short of the 60 necessary to invoke cloture, a procedural motion to advance to a vote on the substance of the bill (Record Vote No. 163). The amendment would have needed 67 votes (two-thirds majority) to pass. HRC opposed this amendment. Biden also opposed it.
Justice Samuel Alito Confirmation (January 31, 2006)
- The Senate voted on President W. Bush's nomination of Judge Samuel Alito
to the U.S. Supreme Court. The Senate confirmed his nomination 58-42
(Record Vote No. 2). HRC opposed this nomination. Biden also opposed it.
Judge William Pryor Confirmation (June 9, 2005)
- The Senate voted on President Bush's nomination of Judge William Pryor
to the Eleventh Circuit Court of Appeals. The Senate confirmed his
nomination 53-45 (Record Vote No. 133). HRC opposed this nomination.
Biden also opposed it.