This page contains bill sponsorships in the Senate and House. Bill sponsorships indicate the topics that legislators are most interested in, and spend the most time on.

13-S1088 on Jun 4, 2013

• Prohibits public school students from being excluded from participating in, or subject to discrimination under, any federally-assisted educational program on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or that of their associates.
• Considers harassment to be a form of discrimination.
• Prohibits retaliation against anyone for opposing conduct made unlawful under this Act.
• Authorizes federal departments and agencies to enforce these prohibitions by cutting off the educational assistance of recipients found to be violating them.
• Allows an aggrieved individual to assert a violation of this Act in a judicial proceeding and recover reasonable attorney's fees should they prevail.

  Opponent's argument against bill:(by Cato Institute reported on Fox News): A bill in Congress that would prohibit discrimination in public schools based on sexual orientation or gender identity could stifle free speech and even lead to "homosexual indoctrination" in the nation's classrooms, critics say.

  "The real danger is how this will be interpreted," said the associate director of the Center for Educational Freedom at the Cato Institute. "The definition of harassment could be broadly interpreted that anybody who expressed a totally legitimate opinion about homosexual behavior could be made illegal. That's a violation of those kids who want to express opposition to LGBT opinions or behavior. People have a legitimate reason to be concerned about this--not because they're 'haters' but because you're now trying to balance different rights."

  Proponent's argument for bill: (Rep. Jared POLIS, House sponsor): "Hatred has no place in the classroom. Every student has the right to an education free from harassment and violence. This bill will protect the freedoms of our students and enshrine the values of equality and opportunity in the classroom."

  Also see the related House of Representatives bill H.R.1652

  ---

  Participating counts on VoteMatch question 3. Question 3: Comfortable with same-sex marriage Scores: -2=Strongly oppose; -1=Oppose; 0=neutral; 1=Support; 2=Strongly support.
  • Topic: Civil Rights
  • Headline: Sponsored enforcing against anti-gay discrimination in public schools (Score: 2)
  • Headline 2: Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools (Score: 2)
  • Headline 3: Anti-gay bullying school rules stifles free speech (Score: -2)
    
    Participating counts on AmericansElect question 7.
  • Headline: Sponsored enforcing against anti-gay discrimination in public schools (Answer: C)
  • Headline 2: Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools (Answer: C)
  • Headline 3: Anti-gay bullying school rules stifles free speech (Answer: A)
  • AmericansElect Quiz Question 7 on Social Issues: When you think about the rights of same-sex couples, which of the following is closest to your personal opinion?
    • A: Same-sex couples should not be allowed to marry or form any kind of civil union
    • B: Same-sex couples should be allowed to form civil unions, but not to marry in the traditional sense
    • C: Same-sex couples should be allowed to marry legally, with all the same rights as traditional marriages
    • D: Unsure
    
    
    
  • Key for participation codes:
  • Sponsorships: p=sponsored; o=co-sponsored; s=signed
  • Memberships: c=chair; m=member; e=endorsed; f=profiled; s=scored
  • Resolutions: i=introduced; w=wrote; a=adopted
  • Cases: w=wrote; j=joined; d=dissented; c=concurred
  • Surveys: '+' supports; '-' opposes.
  
  
  

  Democrats participating in 13-S1088
  Tammy Baldwin	s2o	WI Democratic Challenger	Jun 4, 2013
  Mark Begich	s2o	AK Democratic Jr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Michael Bennet	s2o	CO Democratic Jr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Richard Blumenthal	s2o	CT Democratic Sr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Barbara Boxer	s2o	CA Democratic Jr Senator (retiring 2016)	Jun 4, 2013
  Sherrod Brown	s2o	OH Democratic Sr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Maria Cantwell	s2o	WA Democratic Jr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Benjamin Cardin	s2o	Maryland Democrat	Jun 4, 2013
  Tom Carper	s2o	DE Democratic Sr Senator	Jun 17, 2013
  Bob Casey	s2o	PA Democratic Sr Senator; previously state treasurer	Jun 4, 2013
  Chris Coons	s2o	DE Democratic Jr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Richard Durbin	s2o	IL Democratic Sr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Dianne Feinstein	s2o	CA Democratic Sr Senator	Aug 1, 2013
  Al Franken	s1p	MN Democrat/DFL Jr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Kirsten Gillibrand	s2o	New York Democrat	Jun 4, 2013
  Kay Hagan	s2o	NC Democratic Jr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Tom Harkin	s2o	IA Democratic Jr Senator (retiring 2014)	Jun 4, 2013
  Martin Heinrich	s2o	New Mexico Democrat (Senate run 2012)	Jun 4, 2013
  Mazie Hirono	s2o	Hawaii Democrat (Senate run 2012)	Oct 31, 2013
  Tim Johnson	s2o	SD Democratic Sr Senator (retiring 2014)	Jun 19, 2013
  Amy Klobuchar	s2o	MN Democrat/DFL Sr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Patrick Leahy	s2o	VT Democratic Sr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Ed Markey	s2o	MA Democratic Challenger	Sep 11, 2013
  Jeff Merkley	s2o	OR Democratic Jr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Barbara Mikulski	s2o	MD Democratic Sr Senator (Retiring 2016)	Jun 4, 2013
  Chris Murphy	s2o	Connecticut Democrat (Senate run 2012)	Jun 4, 2013
  Patty Murray	s2o	WA Democratic Sr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Jack Reed	s2o	RI Democratic Sr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Bernie Sanders	s2o	POTUS Democratic Presidential candidate	Jun 4, 2013
  Brian Schatz	s2o	HI Democratic Jr Senator Appointee	Jun 4, 2013
  Charles Schumer	s2o	NY Democratic Sr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Jeanne Shaheen	s2o	NH Democratic Sr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Debbie Stabenow	s2o	MI Democratic Jr Senator	Jun 4, 2013
  Mark Udall	s2o	CO Democratic Sr Senator; previously Representative	Jun 4, 2013
  Tom Udall	s2o	New Mexico Democrat (Senate 2008)	Jun 4, 2013
  Elizabeth Warren	s2o	MA Democratic Challenger	Jun 4, 2013
  Sheldon Whitehouse	s2o	RI Democratic Jr Senator, previously attorney general	Jun 4, 2013
  Ron Wyden	s2o	OR Democratic Sr Senator	Jun 4, 2013

  
  
  

  Republicans participating in 13-S1088

  
  
  

  Independents participating in 13-S1088

  
  
  

  Total recorded by OnTheIssues:

  Democrats: 38 Republicans: 0 Independents: 0