109 Comments
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Dawn (she/her)'s avatar

Fuck Dean Phillips (Democrat) votes Yea. What is the point of being in a Blue state, then? A refuge state to boot. What a slime ball.

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Celeste's avatar

It gets worse. He is a member of the house LGBT equality caucus.

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Jesse (They/Them/Theirs)'s avatar

WTF that's wild ASF to know.

Hopefully the LGBTQIA+ Equality Caucus would kick Phillips and others out who is not true allies since they (the Equality Caucus) don't need to have any members who isn't willing to fight against the numerous discrimination that LGBTQIA+ people faced daily.

And it gets even worse if they (LGBTQIA+ People) are apart of another minority groups such as being BIPOC/POC, Neurodivergence, Disabilities, Mental Health Struggles and other forms of intersectionality attached to their identity of being LGBTQIA+

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Crow's avatar

You would think... it looks like even as the Congressional Equality Caucus issued a statement condemning the vote, a full quarter of its leadership voted for this. When you consider the entire roll, its much closer to half.

Half of the so-called "Equality Caucus" voted against Equality.

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Leah L's avatar

Seth Moulton from MA that was saying "Democrats need to be more practical on trans issues" 🙄 is also part of the equality caucus. Disgusting.

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Sarah Wright's avatar

He represents the district that is next to mine. Since he represents Minnesota, he’s going to be hearing from me. Truly a despicable person.

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Michael Shirley's avatar

We're moving to Minnesota from Indiana, and are closing on a house in his district next week. I just sent his office an email congratulating him on getting four new voters to support his primary opponent.

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Michelle Hess's avatar

Dean Phillips is a coward and traitor. Not principled and complete trash.

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Celeste Irwin's avatar

Ok I seriously need to look into running against my rep (on this list, in California) in the next primary. This is absolutely disgraceful.

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Samantha Thomas's avatar

Please do. We will raise money. 💵

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Steven U's avatar

That would be amazing!

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Brucker's avatar

Of course my Rep is on there. He voted for every single shipment of arms to Israel as well. What use are Democrats anyway when they vote like Republicans?

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Brianna Amore's avatar

They are both two sides to the same coin called "Oligarchy".

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Samantha Thomas's avatar

I agree.

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Carol Hunt's avatar

Wow. I can't believe Chris Pappas D-NH, who is openly gay, voted for the bill. What a betrayal.

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Veronica (she/her)'s avatar

I can - plenty of gay people look to pull the ladder up behind them

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Jesse (They/Them/Theirs)'s avatar

Literally a prime example of just because someone who is Cis and Gay (assuming his gender) doesn't mean he supports all of the LGBTQIA+ Community which is maddening to say the least.

A prime example of FAFO and Leopards eat their faces situations is gonna happen and it be too late for Pappas to grow a conscious from voting against the LGBTQIA+ population

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Alex's avatar

Unbelievable. Taking plays from Streeting.

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Veronica (she/her)'s avatar

House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries voted yes.

We are being completely thrown under the bus by the Democratic Party. We need a new minority leader or no stand will be taken.

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Jesse (They/Them/Theirs)'s avatar

I agree but knowing Democrats, they ain't gonna make a new Minority Leader and instead tell their voters that it was for the greater good in knocking down the LGBTQIA+ Community even further into the trash can for more funding in the US defenses or other future issues that requires choosing which is pathetic mindset of the 81 Democrats that voted yes for this

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Johnny's avatar

I fucking hate this. I hate how little we mean. I hate how there’s no party looking out for us. Everyone wants us gone.

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Samantha Thomas's avatar

I feel You. I transitioned during the Reagan Admin. It’s worse now than it was then. It’s shocking. 😢

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Aeliana Nicole's avatar

Hakeem Jeffries!!! Goddammit. His fumbling mumbling and fake ass low energy bs has to go. As his constituent I’ve had a feeling he’s transphobic based off my experiences in my transphobic legal drama with NYC and now it’s loud and clear. https://www.tiktok.com/t/ZP8J2aqjo/

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Samantha Thomas's avatar

Proud of Illinois. There are some congressmen, who I donated to, from other states, who voted yea. They will hear from me, and never get another dime. Clearly, we need a Leftist coalition to recruit candidates to primary these reactionary Dems. I am sick of people who claim to support us, but have no fear of losing our support. Dems either have to move back to the Left or move the fuck out of the way. 🤬

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Celeste Irwin's avatar

Hell yes. Every single one of these 81 dems deserves to get primaried. Human rights are *never* optional. Ever.

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TransFormAndFunction's avatar

Budzinski is on there though 🤬 she’s also extremely anti-Palestinian. And she represents a blue part of the state.

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Sarah Savage's avatar

Budzinski is my rep and apparently the only Democratic rep in Illinois who voted for this bill. 🤬

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TransFormAndFunction's avatar

I called her Champaign and Washington offices today, left a message. I urge you to call her too. Her career should burn for this. If we’d known she was a fascist who wanted trans kids and Palestinians dead, we would have prevented her from taking office. She promised to defend LGBTQ kids and now she’s killing trans kids.

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Helena's avatar

proud of Massachusetts

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Nicola A's avatar

It's easily the best state in the country.

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Steven U's avatar

Thank you for publishing this so quickly. This is valuable information to keep on hand moving forward.

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Samantha's avatar

I'm glad that my Dem Texas Rep didn't vote yea, but I'm humiliated that any Dems did. Shame on them! 🤬

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Paula Buls's avatar

Likewise! Go Lloyd Doggett!

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RRMother's avatar

Same here! Lloyd Doggett is one of the (sadly) rare politicians that actually cares and listens to his constituents.

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Illuminancer's avatar

I'm disappointed in Ted Lieu, and furious at Hakeem Jeffries.

I'm happy that my rep, Doris Matsui, voted no. I'll be calling her office tomorrow to thank her.

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Yuri's avatar

From California and Washington… that’s crazy

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Jesse (They/Them/Theirs)'s avatar

Yea I'm from FL and seeing Blue States voting yes in blocking Transgender Youths from getting care is very disturbing and unexpected.

Like I expected Red States who are Democrats to be doing this mess but now it's extremely concerning and I am not even sure what else we can do realistically to correct misinformation about the LGBTQIA+ Community to the public, politicians or even people in our lives still not accepting our identities

We shouldn't have to put ourselves in line of fire or unnecessary attention to be a educator for all LGBTQIA+ topics, but at the same time, America and other countries globally like the UK is going backwards in terms of passing Anti LGBTQIA+ legislation and we are left in dealing with the consequences of said actions

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Sean Corfield's avatar

Several of those Dems in CA are in pretty red areas of the state. A lot of people think "Oh, California is a blue state" but it's only blue in two admittedly large spots (SF Bay Area and LA) and even parts of greater LA are solidly red. I just looked up four names I recognized and... wasn't surprised at all based on where they represent. Disappointed, yes, but not surprised :(

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Brucker's avatar

My rep (Levin) is from a pretty conservative area, but he's openly supported a lot of progressive stuff. But he's voted in favor of every single arms shipment to Israel.

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Sterling Summers's avatar

Southwest Washington is pretty conservative, and Perez has sided with Republicans on other issues before, because she says she's voting on behalf of her constituents. She'll be hearing from me in the morning, as one of her pissed off constituents. Not happy, am I.

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Ashlynn Doubleu's avatar

4 of the 5 CT reps voted yes?! Fuck off! I thought we were still a normal state.

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Krikit's Songs's avatar

Lucky me, I live in Hartford, and Larson voted against this. I should write and tell him thank you.

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Krikit's Songs's avatar

In fact, I just did.

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Meagan G's avatar

Yes, it really sucks that we're getting thrown under the bus.

Three points of fact though:

1) If you hate what was included in the final bill, you should take a look at what *didn't* make it into the final bill.

- From the House bill (HR8070 Sec 579B, 579C and 713): https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/house-bill/8070/text

- From the Senate bill (S4638, Sec 708 and 709): https://www.congress.gov/bill/118th-congress/senate-bill/4638/text

Highlights from the original House bill (introduced by Mike Rogers):

- Prohibits the use of the exceptional family member program to cover any gender transition related services

- Prohibits teaching of "radical gender ideology or pornographic content" in DoD funded schools, such as suggesting that biological sex is anything other than sex assigned at birth or that gender identity can be anything other than sex assigned at birth, that hormones or puberty blockers exist, or promotes gender transition as safe or even an option

- Codifies into law a new section to USC 10 sec 1076 to prohibit gender transition care of any kind for anyone covered by TRICARE

In the House, 6 democrats voted in favor of the *worse* one, with the rest voting against it.

The original Senate version of the bill additionally included amending USC 10 sec 1093 to prohibit the use of DoD funds for any gender confirmation surgery and to prohibit the use of any DoD facility for that purpose.

2) It's in the country's best interest that this bill passes. If both chambers fail to pass it or if it doesn't get signed into law before Dec 31st, they have to start completely over, and with both chambers being Republican held next year, it *will* be worse.

3) As this looks identical to the language that was in one amendment in the Senate version of the bill, I recall that even though the vote on those specific amendments was 13-12 (with Manchin voting with the Republicans), the Senate Armed Services Committee *still* voted 22-3 to advance their version to the full Senate in July. and the three (Reed [D-RI], Warren [D-MA], and Cotton [R-AR]) didn't vote no out of any loyalty to the LGBTQ community, but because they didn't agree with the spending cap.

That doesn't even go into what they've gotten into *other* authorizations bills this year. Look for next year to get worse.

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Meagan G's avatar

FWIW, these are the 6 Dems in the House that did vote for the much worse version:

Rep Mary Peltola (D-AK)

Rep Jared Golden (D-ME-2)

Rep Don Davis (D-NC-1)

Rep Henry Cuellar (D-TX-28)

Rep Vicente Gonzalez (D-TX-15)

Rep Marie Perez (D-WA-3)

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Meagan G's avatar

The Senate voted last night to invoke cloture (which is the procedural vote required prior to bringing a final vote to the floor) and it passed 83-12, with 5 not voting. The final vote will likely be tomorrow unless they ignore their own 48 hr rule.

Voted "Nay" (without respect to why they voted that way bc I don't have that information)

- Baldwin, D-WI

- Booker, D-NJ

- Lee, R-UT

- Markey, D-MA

- Merkley, D-OR

- Paul, R-KY

- Sanders, I-VT

- Schatz, D-HI

- Schiff, D-CA

- Stabenow, D-MI

- Warren, D-MA

- Wyden, D-OR

Did not vote (again, don't have the information as to why they were not voting)

- Cassidy, R-LA

- Fetterman, D-PA

- Romney, R-UT

- Rubio, R-FL

- Vance, R-OH

Can update here once the final vote happens, but it is expected to pass as is and will likely be signed into law but the end of the week.

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Grey Area's avatar

When Erin first brought this story to light I thought of it as Republican sabotage of the armed forces. Now that is a bipartisan project. The thought that this is just the first chill gust ahead of an oncoming storm certainly seems overwhelmingly probable though. One more reason to avoid America.

What a vile present for Zooey’s national colleagues to give her and Erin for their wedding.

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Brittany Southworth's avatar

Thank you for shedding some light.

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Talia Perkins's avatar

Your contention is that because this passing was the way to lock as much as possible in the least bad result applying to next year, that these votes should be excused?

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Meagan G's avatar

Oh not at all; I was mostly explaining how the process works and what the consequences for not passing the watered down version would have been. The contention would more be with no one calling them out months ago when the ones who did vote for worse versions in both chambers voted for them.

It feels really awful that a topic we care a lot about doesn't rate high enough on our Congressperson's radar for them to tank critical legislation over. As I mentioned, the reasons for voting for or against legislation may or may not actually even be related to the issues we care about.

This was one single 1800 page bill with a single watered down anti-trans rider. Yes, it is bad for trans children of DoD employees, and it sets a precedent for what to expect in the future.

From what I have been able to find, the only no vote directly tied to the anti-trans provision was Adam Smith. The rest could have been "no" votes in support of us, or no votes to protest any of 100 other things in the bill, like the funding for Israel or prohibiting DEI or critical race theory funding. Likewise any of the "yes" votes could have been because of any of a number of projects that were higher on that Congressperson's list of priorities, instead of a vote against trans children *specifically*. The harm done is still the same regardless.

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Talia Perkins's avatar

So you are saying a greater expenditure of political capital on our behalf by Democrats may have made this bill better?

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Meagan G's avatar

If they cared, yes. However, in our current system the interests of major political donors will always outweigh the interests of their constituents. In this case, the large companies that are part of the military-industrial complex are easily enough reason to throw any minority under the bus. We just happen to be the favorite of the week.

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Sonya Snyder's avatar

I fucking canvassed for Allred in Texas. I feel sick to my stomach.

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