Ileana Ros-Lehtinen Announces Gay Adoption Support: Bill Picks Up First GOP Cosponsor

BUFFALO, N.Y. -- Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) has signed on as the first Republican supporter of a bill outlawing discrimination against same-sex couples from becoming adoptive or foster parents.

"It's way past time to allow the thousands of children in foster care the opportunity to live in safe and nurturing families who are eager to adopt them," said Ros-Lehtinen in a statement. "There are strict guidelines to ensure that the placement of these children will be regulated and that the parents will provide the protective guidance and structure that the children need."

"My home state of Florida had discriminatory laws in place that were preventing caring parents from adoption," she continued. "This Federal bill is a step in the right direction so that the proper match between responsible parent and needy child can take place regardless of the parent's sexual orientation."

Ros-Lehtinen has traditionally been more supportive of LGBT issues than many others in her party. According to the Human Rights Campaign's Congressional Scorecard, she had one of the best records in the Republican Party voting for LGBT priorities in the last session.

Rep. Pete Stark (D-Calif.) introduced the Every Child Deserves A Family Act on May 3, and dozens of lawmakers have signed on as cosponsors, including House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.). Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) plans to introduce companion legislation in the Senate in the coming weeks.

The Every Child Deserves a Family Act would "ban discrimination in adoption or foster care placement based on the sexual orientation, marital status or gender identity of the potential parent, or the sexual orientation or gender identity of the child," according to a statement from Stark's office.

"Sound family policy is not a partisan issue," said Family Equality Council Executive Director Jennifer Chrisler. "There are more than 424,000 kids in foster care in the United States, with 115,000 eligible for adoption. Congress must work together to find ways to provide these children loving and stable homes. The only way to do that is to tear down legal and political barriers that are eliminating qualified parents who also happen to be gay or lesbian."

In April, Virginia's State Board of Social Services rejected adding protections against discrimination in adoption proceedings on the basis of sexual orientation, gender, age, religion, political beliefs, disability and family status. Currently, the state prohibits discrimination on national origin, race and color.

Last month, Arkansas' high court struck down the state's law barring same-sex couples from adopting. In an opinion published without dissent, the court argued that the law violated individuals' right to privacy.

Even with Ros-Lehtinen's cospsonsorship, prospects for Stark's bill seem slim, although her name could open the door for more Republicans to support the measure.

According to the Family Equality Council, one million LGBT parents in the United States raise two million children.

Comments

[justmy2cent]

08:27 AM on 06/01/2011

OK so lets say all the gays were “born that way”. By their own measure, they have shown themselves to be a very small minority and statistical anomaly. Given this line of “born that way” logic, it’s safe to assume that the overwhelming majority of babies are “born straight”. Looking at things this why, why would we allow the statistical anomaly to raise the statistical norm? It’s usually near impossible for a statistical anomaly to be able to raise a statistical norm. Usually parents that shun education raise children that shun education and so on. So a gay person would never be able to properly raise a child, assuming that by their own analysis the child was very more than likely “born straight”.

[Ozzy87]

12:37 PM on 06/03/2011

Because some gay and lesbian couples actually WANT to raise kids. Also the vast majority of hard to place children - with emotional or physical conditions - are placed with same sex parents. They are trying to care for the ones other people find "too difficult to deal with".

[bradenton]

10:28 AM on 05/31/2011

There is almost no one left in America the Republicans can discriminate against. They may goout of business soon.

[ManuOB1]

07:51 AM on 05/31/2011

Why is this article datelined Buffalo, NY? Just askin'...

[Jeff Cunningham]

11:55 PM on 05/30/2011

Dear discriminatory Republicans:

Granting LGBT people equal rights when it comes to adoption, marriage, protection from discrimination and all other rights heterosexual people enjoy is not the antithesis of your small-government mission statement; it is, in fact, the very definition of small government.

[Misterioso Adversario]

12:18 AM on 05/31/2011

The sad thing is that the government will get up on their soapbox and tell you how they want smaller government or tell you they want to keep government out of your life. But then when it comes down to it they are right in the middle of trying to dictate who can get married, or who can adopt a child, or who should be left out of civil rights. What they say and what they do are so ad odds with one another, its a wonder that anyone even votes for them anymore.

[Misterioso Adversario]

02:59 AM on 06/04/2011

Just realized reading through again that I meant to say is "the sad thing is that REPUBLICANS will get up on their soapbox"

[Mr Crabs]

09:00 PM on 05/30/2011

I have a feeling she's going to be kicked out of the club.

[Erin Scott]

03:13 PM on 05/30/2011

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PooEhBxh0NY

[Ioan Lightoller]

03:01 PM on 05/30/2011

wonderful to see that more GOP'ers are finally seeing the light and are willing to help in the struggle for full rights. Many of the children adopted by GLBT couples are those straights don't want to adopt--epsecially older and special-needs children.

[bkerensa]

10:07 PM on 05/30/2011

They are just trying to get some extra votes.

[Ioan Lightoller]

12:17 AM on 05/31/2011

I'm sure that may well be true. I wouldn't vote Rethuglican for many reasons, but if she can get some extra support for this so much the better for prospective GLBT parents and kids who need homes.

[rodjard]

02:08 PM on 05/30/2011

Religious right. Put you time, energy and money where your mouth is.
Add one child to the fold of each of your supposedly loving families.
Treat them the same as you do your own. Don't deny anyone else
the right to do the same.
I you cannot do that, then remain silent about it.

[HappyBalance]

12:26 PM on 05/30/2011

"Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) has signed on as the first Republican supporter of a bill outlawing discrimination against same-sex couples from becoming adoptive or foster parents."

Very cool.

[mitchpeter]

12:01 PM on 05/30/2011

Children are better off in homes than foster care.
Denying people who desparately want to be parents, who can help , is antithetical to helping children: that must be the priority.
The haters have to get rid of their prejudice and start thinking about the kids.
And all studies show there is absolutely no harm to children if that is one of their supposed concerns.
www.gaynycdad.com

[cwaged1002]

11:13 AM on 05/30/2011

The only reason the Republicans are sponsoring this bill is to reduce spending on foster care, with the goal of ending altogether it in the near future.

[mibwilso]

10:34 AM on 05/30/2011

I think it's something the left and the right can compromise on.

The Right wants to reduce abortion, the Left wants gay rights....this seems like a reasonable compromise.

[MAX1]

10:17 AM on 05/30/2011

======================
Gay Education
http://youtu.be/PooEhBxh0NY
======================

[MAX1]

10:14 AM on 05/30/2011

=====================================
"Don't say Gay, say Takei!"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GNdqzaxCrno
=====================================

[ChaCubed]

05:41 PM on 05/30/2011

I agree with everything he said in the video, except for one thing, "That's so Takei" means, "Awesome!" :-)

So, Takei, your idea is is so-oo-ooo Takei! Thank you.

[Andrew Getting]

08:57 PM on 05/30/2011

Takei is, frankly, one of the most clever people I've ever seen, and makes satire look almost effortless. I'm in awe of him, and wish he'd had the publicity years ago, the better to help his career.

Alas, I guess I'll have to deal with his free awesome available on Youtube :D

[ChaCubed]

02:51 PM on 05/31/2011

:)

[zapata86301]

09:57 AM on 05/30/2011

A positive light shines through a crack in the GOP's monolithic wall of hatred and privilege. There are more, I am sure within their ranks who will trickle forward.

[Jeff Cunningham]

11:57 PM on 05/30/2011

Sadly, I think they're too scared to speak up; otherwise, the right wing noise machine that is Fox News and the party establishment would ostracize and banish them.