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Ben Ray Lujan on Civil Rights

 

 


Voted for Equality Act, expanded Violence Against Women Act

One of the proudest moments I had serving in Congress is when I voted for both the Equality Act and an expanded Violence Against Women Act that included real protections for LGBTQ+ women. The Equality Act, which is legislation that congressional Democrats have championed for years, bans discrimination in housing, education, the workforce, and other aspects of everyday life for LGBTQ+ individuals.
Source: 2020 New Mexico Senate campaign website BenRayLujan .com , Jul 8, 2020

Create true partnerships with Tribal communities

To create true partnerships with Tribal communities, it is incumbent that our governments recognize the pain and indignities Native Americans have suffered through racist policies that linger to this day. We must continue providing recourse for those injustices as a guiding principle. This is done by listening to Tribal elders and communities and showing respect and appreciation for the culture, public service, and contributions of Native Americans in every facet of our state and history.
Source: 2020 New Mexico Senate campaign website BenRayLujan .com , Jul 8, 2020

Endorsement: One of LGBTQ community's strongest advocates

HRC announced its endorsement of Rep. Ben Ray Luj n in his bid for the U.S. Senate. "Congressman Luj n has been one of our community's strongest advocates in the United States House of Representatives, and we're proud to stand by his side as he runs for the Senate," said HRC President Alphonso David. "As a co-sponsor of the Equality Act, Congressman Luj n's demonstrated record of support for LGBTQ people and families stands in stark contrast with his opponents."
Source: Human Rights Campaign 2020 Senate New Mexico endorsements , Jan 23, 2020

Graded "A" by Center for Freethought Equality

The Center for Freethought Equality, the 501(c)4 sister advocacy organization of the American Humanist Association, released its scorecard of the members of the US House of Representatives of the 114th Congress. Ben Ray Lujan received an A demonstrating strong support for church/state separation.
Source: Los Alamos Daily Post on 2020 New Mexico Senate race , Aug 25, 2016

We should respect tribal sacred places

I rise to offer an amendment to protect sacred sites across America. Just as we come from different faiths, we all have respect for one another. Just as we worship in different places like churches or temples, so to should we have respect for these sacred places. Sacred sites are an essential part of the culture and heritage of tribal communities and the degradation of these sites means a loss of identity, as well as disrespect for the faith and history of our tribal brothers and sisters.
Source: House press release on lujan.house.gov for 2020 , Oct 8, 2015

Navajo Equality endorsement; indigenous LGBTQ advocates

Lujan has a record of developing legislation regarding Tribal sovereignty and Native communities. Recently Navajo groups have endorsed Luj n for office, such as Navajo Equality, the largest Indigenous LGBTQ+ advocacy group in the country. He is one of the few prominent Latinx politicians raising awareness of their struggle.
Source: Navajo Equality on 2020 New Mexico Senate endorsements ,

Voted YES on reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act.

Congressional Summary:
    Amends the Violence Against Women Act of 1994 (VAWA) to add or expand definitions of several terms used in such Act, including :
  1. "culturally specific services" to mean community-based services that offer culturally relevant and linguistically specific services and resources to culturally specific communities;
  2. "personally identifying information" with respect to a victim of domestic violence, dating violence, sexual assault, or stalking;
  3. "underserved populations" as populations that face barriers in accessing and using victim services because of geographic location, religion, sexual orientation or gender identity; and
  4. "youth" to mean a person who is 11 to 24 years old.

Opponent's Argument for voting No (The Week; Huffington Post, and The Atlantic): House Republicans had objected to provisions in the Senate bill that extended VAWA's protections to lesbians, gays, immigrants, and Native Americans. For example, Rep. Bill Johnson (R-OH) voted against the VAWA bill because it was a "politically–motivated, constitutionally-dubious Senate version bent on dividing women into categories by race, transgender politics and sexual preference." The objections can be grouped in two broadly ideological areas--that the law is an unnecessary overreach by the federal government, and that it represents a "feminist" attack on family values. The act's grants have encouraged states to implement "mandatory-arrest" policies, under which police responding to domestic-violence calls are required to make an arrest. These policies were intended to combat the too-common situation in which a victim is intimidated into recanting an abuse accusation. Critics also say VAWA has been subject to waste, fraud, and abuse because of insufficient oversight.

Reference: Violence Against Women Reauthorization Act; Bill H.R.11 ; vote number 13-HV055 on Feb 28, 2013

ENDA: prohibit employment discrimination for gays.

Lujan signed H.R.3017&S.1584

Prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity by covered entities (employers, employment agencies, labor organizations, or joint labor-management committees). Prohibits preferential treatment or quotas. Allows only disparate treatment claims. Prohibits related retaliation.

    Makes this Act inapplicable to:
  1. religious organizations; and
  2. the relationship between the United States and members of the Armed Forces.
Source: Employment Non-Discrimination Act 09-HR3017 on Jun 24, 2009

Constitutional Amendment for women's equal rights.

Lujan signed Equal Rights Amendment for men and women

JOINT RESOLUTION: Proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States relative to equal rights for men and women. Constitutional Amendment: Prohibits denying or abridging equality of rights under the law by the United States or by any state on account of sex.

    Resolved by the Senate and House of Representatives: That the following article is proposed as an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, which shall be valid to all intents and purposes as part of the Constitution when ratified by the legislatures of 3/4ths of the several States:
  1. Equality of rights under the law shall not be denied or abridged by the United States or by any State on account of sex.
  2. The Congress shall have the power to enforce, by appropriate legislation, the provisions of this article.
  3. This amendment shall take effect two years after the date of ratification.

[Explanatory note from Wikipedia.com and OnTheIssues.org]:

The Equal Rights Amendment (ERA) was a proposed amendment to the United States Constitution. The ERA was originally written by Alice Paul and, in 1923, it was introduced in the Congress for the first time. In 1972, it passed both houses of Congress, but failed to gain ratification before its June 30, 1982 deadline. This new proposed amendment is identical in wording to the original 1972 proposed amendment. It was proposed in Congress in every session from 1923 through 1970 prior to passing in 1972; and has been re-introduced in Congress in every session since 1982 after its failure at ratification. The current version removes the Congressionally imposed deadline for ratification of the Equal Rights Amendment, so that if the bill passes Congress, states have no deadline as they did in 1982.

Source: HJR69&SJR21 11-HJR69 on Jun 22, 2011

Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools.

Lujan signed Student Non-Discrimination Act

Source: HR.998&S.555 11-HR0998 on Mar 10, 2011

Enforce against anti-gay discrimination in public schools.

Lujan co-sponsored Student Non-Discrimination Act

Congressional Summary: