Two More UAFA Co-Sponsors in the House

by Kathy Drasky

Published March 17, 2009 @ 08:00AM PT

We've got two more co-sponsors for the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA) in the House. They are Rep. Ed Pastor [AZ-4] and Rep. Brian Baird [WA-3].

This brings the total number of co-sponsors in the House to 90. A lot for so early in the re-introduction of the bill compared to previous sessions of Congress, but we still have a long way to go to get the sure-thing: 218.

We can do it, though. Yesterday's editorial in the Washington Post calling for the passage of the UAFA was the most mainstream, high-profile media support yet. The work each of us does with letter writing, phone calls, blogging and posting links to sites like Facebook goes a long way to raising awareness. So, keep at it!

And, if you have a moment, please write or call our newest co-sponsors to thank them for their support. That makes a difference, too.

Here's their details:

Rep. Ed Pastor [AZ-4]

Washington Office
2465 Rayburn HOB
Washington, DC 20515
(202) 225-4065

District Office
411 North Central Avenue
Suite 150
Phoenix, AZ 85004
(602) 256-0551

Rep. Brian Baird [WA-3]
O.O. Howard House
750 Anderson Street, Suite B
Vancouver, WA 98661
Phone: (360) 695-6292
Fax: (360) 695-6197

120 Union Avenue
Suite 105
Olympia, WA 98501
Phone: (360) 352-9768
Fax: (360) 352-9241

Letter Writing Campaign - Rep Jim McDermott

by Amos Lim

Published March 16, 2009 @ 05:09PM PT

What an awesome day it is to wake up this morning and read the editorial of Washington post supporting the Uniting American Families Act.  The editorial said that the passage of the UAFA would right a gross unfairness.  

Chris has already pasted the entire text of the editorial in the blogs below.

We now have a mainstream news paper that is widely read in congress supporting the Uniting American Families Act. 

I want to therefore encourage all our supporters to keep the momentum going.  We are heading into our 3rd week of letter writing campaign.  This week, we're writing to Rep. Jim McDermott Jr.  His contact info and a sample draft letter to send him are below. (Feel free to adapt this letter to suit your story). If Rep. McDermott is your Rep., use the link to his website to contact him via email (Note: Like many members of Congress, his email system is configured to only accept emails from constituents using their local zip code).

Please let us know your feedback on this project and ideas for others.

We'll be happy to work with you to get a project off the ground as long as it is in line with O4I's mission.

**Address for Rep Jim McDermott is listed below.  Please click here for the text of the letter and update the name to Rep McDermott.**

Rep Jim McDermott
1035 Longworth HOB
Washington DC, 20515
www.house.gov/mcdermott

Separation Anxiety - Washington Post Editorial today

by Chris Waddling

Published March 16, 2009 @ 12:38PM PT

Gay couples should be allowed to stay together in the United States.

Monday, March 16, 2009; A16

link to article

THE UNITING American Families Act would allow gay and lesbian Americans and permanent residents to sponsor their foreign-born partners for legal residency in the United States. The bill, introduced last month in the Senate by Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.) and in the House by Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), would add "permanent partner" and "permanent partnership" after the words "spouse" and "marriage" in relevant sections of the Immigration and Nationality Act. If passed, it would right a gross unfairness.

Under the proposal,  a "permanent partnership" is defined as a "committed, intimate relationship" with another adult "in which both parties intend a lifelong commitment." The couple must be financially interdependent and not married to or in a permanent partnership with anyone else. And the partners can't be related. The benefit comes with the same immigration restrictions and enforcement standards that apply to heterosexual couples. Fraudulent permanent partnerships face the same penalties as fake marriages: up to five years in prison and up to a $250,000 fine.

"Under current law, committed same-sex foreign partners of American citizens are unable to use the family immigration system, which accounts for a majority of the green cards and immigrant visas granted annually by the United States," Mr. Leahy said upon introducing the bill. "The promotion of family unity has long been part of federal immigration policy, and we should honor that principle by providing all Americans the opportunity to be with their loved ones." According to the most recent census, he added, about 35,000 binational, same-sex couples are living in the United States. The new legislation would ensure that the family connections valued under immigration law are extended to gays and lesbians.

The strain of the status quo on gay and lesbian binational couples should not be discounted. Because their relationships are not legally recognized by the United States, some couples have resorted to illegal marriages where the foreign nationals marry Americans to get green cards that allow them to stay in the country permanently. In other cases, Americans have exiled themselves to be with their partners. Sixteen countries, including Australia, Brazil, Canada, Israel, South Africa and the United Kingdom, allow residents to sponsor same-sex permanent partners for legal immigration. American gays and lesbians should not have to choose between their country and their partners.

City and County of San Francisco Supports the Passage of Uniting American Families Act

by Amos Lim

Published March 10, 2009 @ 12:59PM PT

Hi Folks,

We just want to update you on some of the work that we have been doing to get support for Uniting American Families Act at a local level.

The City and County of San Francisco passed a resolution last week in support of the Uniting American Families Act.  The resolution was introduced by Supervisor David Campos and adopted last week at the Board of Supes meeting.  The board resolution number is 090243.

At the same time, the San Francisco's Immigrant Rights Commission yesterday voted unanimously to pass the same resolution urging congress to pass the Uniting American Families Act!  Ms Kathy Drasky was there to witness the vote and to speak about our struggles.

The resolutions will be forwarded to all our San Francisco Representative including Speaker Pelosi and Senator Feinstein informing them that San Francisco supports the passage of UAFA and they should sponsor the bill and ensure its passage.

We want to express our thanks to Supervisor David Campos' office, especially Ms Sheila Hagen-Chung, for introducing the resolution at the Board of Supervisor and Mr Tomas Lee from the Office of Civic Engagement and Immigrant Affairs for assisting us in getting the resolutions to the Immigrant Rights Commission. 

Thanks also must go to Martha McDevitt-Pugh of Love Exiles and Democrats Abroad for crafting the language and sharing it with us!

Next Stop:  The State of California...(stay tuned for more updates that is forthcoming)

If you live outside of San Francisco - are you willing to get your city to pass a resolution in support of the Uniting American Families Act?  Most of the time, it is relatively easy... you just need to contact your local representative's (supervisor/council man/woman) office and ask.  Out4Immigration would be willing to work with you to ensure its passage.  Interested?  Email Amos @ amos (at) out4immigration.org or Kathy @ kathy (at) out4immigration.org for more information.

Also, don't forget that we are writing to Rep Frank Pallone this week to urge him to sponsor the UAFA.  He has done so previously but have not yet sign on.  Maybe what he needs is a little push and reminder from you!  For more information about this weekly letter writing campaign, please go to http://tinyurl.com/BlogUAFA or http://pamshouseblend.com/showDiary.do?diaryId=9810

Come on folks!  Let's get this passed!

Regards,

Amos Lim

Letter Writing Campaign to Rep Frank Pallone Jr

by Amos Lim

Published March 08, 2009 @ 07:52PM PT

Hello everyone,

Out4Immigration is starting a letter writing campaign to urge members of Congress to sign on as co-sponsors of the UAFA.

Each week we'll be targeting a member of Congress who signed onto the UAFA during the last term but hasn't yet this time around. When we work our way through those, we will move onto members of the LGBT and progressive caucuses - hopefully increasing co-sponsorship every step of the way.

This week, we're writing to Rep. Frank Pallone Jr (D-NJ; 6th
district). His contact info and a sample draft letter to send him are below. (Feel free to adapt this letter to suit your story). If Rep. Pallone is your Rep., use the link to his website to contact him via email (Note: Like many members of Congress, his email system is configured to only accept emails from constituents using their local zip code).

Please let us know your feedback on this project and ideas for others.
We'll be happy to work with you to get a project off the ground as long as it is in line with O4I's mission.

(Thanks to Kathy and Gina for spearheading this project)
**Address and letter follow here:**

Rep. Frank Pallone, JR
237 Cannon Building
Washington, D.C. 20515-3006
Phone: 202 225-4671
Website: http://www.house.gov/pallone

Dear Representative Pallone,

I am writing to you to ask you to please sign on as a co-sponsor of the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA; HR 1024; S 424) sponsored in the House by Rep. Jerrold Nadler and the Senate by Sen. Patrick Leahy.

I am part of a group called Out4Immigration. [I am] [I know people who are] directly affected by the current unfair immigration policies in this country that deny gay and lesbian Americans in same-sex binational relationships the right to sponsor their permanent partner to live with them in the United States.

You have sponsored the bill during the last session of Congress but you have not signed on as a co-sponsor yet this session. We hope this is just an oversight but if you have any concerns or issues with this bill, I would like to hear from you or have the opportunity to speak with you.

As you may be aware, these Americans in loving and committed relationships are often forced to make heartbreaking decisions to maintain their relationship. More often than not, these include having to leave the United States in order to be with the person they love.
These American citizens are forced to give up careers, leave behind aging parents and young adult children who rely on them and leave a community which benefits from their ongoing and active participation.

The Uniting American Families Act simply seeks to provide gay and lesbian U.S. citizens and permanent residents the right to sponsor their partners for immigration. It includes the same process and penalties as applied in heterosexual sponsorship applications. By co-sponsoring the UAFA you are showing your dedication to equality and the belief that no American should be forced to choose between their country and the person they love.

Thank you for your time on this important matter. I hope that you will add your name to the list co-sponsors on this bill.

Respectfully,

[NAME]
[ADDRESS, PHONE NUMBER AND EMAIL]
Out4Immigration
www.out4immigration.org

2 more cosponsors in the house!

by Amos Lim

Published March 06, 2009 @ 04:05PM PT

Just found out that 2 more cosponsors signed on to the Uniting American Families Act in the house, making it a total of 88 cosponsors!

The 2 congressperson that signed on are:

Rep Clarke, Yvette D. [NY-11] - 3/3/2009
Rep Cummings, Elijah E. [MD-7] - 3/3/2009

If you live in any of the districts whose reps have sponsored the bill, please be sure to thank them! 

Rep Clarke's contact information can be found here.

Rep Cummings' contact information can be found here.

Click on the link below to find out who has signed on to sponsor the bill (and please contact those who have not signed on to urge them to support the bill)

UAFA in the senate:  http://tinyurl.com/ddukd9

UAFA in the house:http://tinyurl.com/d3jjy5 

For more information about the Uniting American Families Act, click here.

Uniting American Families Act

by Amos Lim

Published March 03, 2009 @ 03:17PM PT

I just want to update all of you about the re-introduction of the Uniting American Families Act on February 12, 2009 by Rep Jerrold Nadler (HR1024) and Senator Patrick Leahy (S 424). The house bill has managed to secure 79 original cosponsors and the senate bill has secured 14 original cosponsors.  

This is hugely significant as during the past few sessions when the bill was introduced, we have never secured so many cosponsors signing on from the start.

As of today, March 3rd, 2009, we have a total of 86 cosponsors in the house and 15 cosponsors in the senate.

I want to urge all of you to call you representative to (1) urge them to sponsor this important bill or (2) thank them for signing on to the bill.

This bill is very important because currently LGBT binational couple where one partner is an American does not have any rights to sponsor their foreign born partner for a green card.  A lot of them are being forced to leave the country to live in exile just so that they can stay together with their loved ones.  This is blatantly unfair to force an American to choose between love or country.

We have a real chance of getting this bill heard and passed and we need all you help.  

Please spread the word and call your representatives and senators to support this bill.

Thank you!

Amos Lim
amos (at) out4immigration.org

For more information:

HR1024:  Click here for the house bill

S424:  Click here for the senate bill

Out4Immigration:  http://www.out4immigration.org

Marriage Equality: http://www.marriageequality.or...

Love Exiles:  http://www.loveexiles.org

Immigration Equality:  http://www.immigrationequality...