Out members of Congress issue letter to LGBT community

from GayPolitics.com by Denis

“Elections matter,” begins an open letter from U.S. Representatives Tammy Baldwin, Barney Frank and Jared Polis, issued this afternoon.  The intended recipients?  The entire LGBT community, according to the Washington Blade.
Baldwin, Frank and Polis, Democrats all, are seeking to energize LGBT voters to go to the polls and help keep a Democratic majority on Capitol Hill.  In the letter, they warn that complacency is the wrong answer to frustration with the slow pace of change on major LGBT legislative agenda items, and explain that despite inaction on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and other bills, there has been serious progress in this Congress:

… In the 111th Congress, we passed the Matthew Shepherd and James Byrd Jr. Federal Hate Crimes Act, admittedly no small feat, while the State Department adopted inclusive passport procedures recognizing and accommodating our transgender brothers and sisters. Our voice was further strengthened when we achieved medical decision parity in America’s hospitals and strengthened polices that prevented discrimination against housing applicants based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Is it enough? No. The fight for equality is far from over. We face obstruction at every turn and it is incumbent upon us  to push harder to ensure swift action on the issues that affect us most.
Next month, the courageous and steadfast activism of the past year must be met by a vote cast on November 2nd. We ask that you look at your local ballot and scrutinize and measure candidates running for each seat. Which candidates do you see supporting issues that affect our community, which will champion our causes? Whether it is for employment non-discrimination, the repeal of DOMA or Federal Partnership benefits? Which candidates even believe LGBT issues merit space on their campaign website?
Elections matter. They matter to our country and to our community. We must go out and vote this November to ensure the forward momentum we have struggled for continues for our benefit and for that of future generations of LGBT individuals.
Sincerely,
Representatives:
Barney Frank
Tammy Baldwin
Jared Polis