Quigley shows commitment to GLBT issues

Quigley shows commitment to GLBT issues
By Amy Wooten
Copyright by The Chicago Free Press
April 29, 2009
http://www.chicagofreepress.com/node/3427


Shortly after new Congressman Mike Quigley (D-Ill.) was sworn into office, the longtime GLBT ally put to action his promise to fight for equality.

On April 22, Quigley co-sponsored his first bill, the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act of 2009.

“We’ve come a long way in the last 20 years when it comes to equality,” said Quigley in a statement. “But we’ve still got a lot of work to live up to the idea that all Americans are created equal.”

“We cannot and should not allow anyone to use race, gender or sexual orientation to divide us and distract us from our shared responsibility to ensure that justice is for every man, woman and child,” he added.

Quigley also recently submitted his requests for millions of dollars in earmarks, including a $475,000 earmark request to support Center on Halsted’s Services and Advocacy for GLBT Seniors (SAGE) program. According to a press release, Quigley requested funding for this program because “this century has seen a growing number of seniors dealing with not only the challenges of becoming older, but also with challenges unique to being LGBT seniors.

“These challenges include dealing with the consequences of financial inequities directed toward LGBT community as well as lingering stigmatization, particularly among providers of senior services,” Quigley continued.

Quigley’s earmarks also included a $150,150 request for the Puerto Rican Cultural Center’s Vida/SIDA HIV/AIDS program to help with education and community outreach.