Barney Frank: “Zero Chance” Of ANY LGBT Bills Passing Next Year

Rep. Barney Frank, the openly-gay Massachusetts lawmaker who won a hard-fought battle against Tea Party and GOProud-supported Republican anti-gay candidate Sean Bielat last week, says of pro-LGBT legislation, “Next year there’s no chance of anything happening. There’s zero chance.”

Lou Chibbaro, Jr., of the Washington Blade reports,

“Frank also said he was confident that the Senate, of which Democrats retained control, would join President Obama in blocking any anti-gay bills that conservative Republicans might introduce over the next two years.

“He added, “It will be a status quo. They don’t have the votes to hurt us but we don’t have the votes to advance anything in the cause.”

“Frank also said he was certain that Republicans would fail in an attempt to overturn D.C.’s same-sex marriage law.

“The Republicans have become much more anti-gay in their voting patterns,” he said. “There is zero chance of anything good happening with Republicans in control of the House.”

“He said Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) told him he won’t insert the DREAM Act immigration language in the defense authorization bill when he brings it to the Senate floor in the lame duck session.”

(Note: Joe Sudbay disagrees with Frank’s assessment of the GOP not being able to hurt us. I would trust Joe on this.)

After Defense Secretary Robert Gates spoke in favor of repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” this weekend, Frank, who has long spoken out for repeal, issued this statement:

“I congratulate President Obama and Secretary Gates for affirming the importance of prompt Senate action to complete the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell.” This proposal has the strong support of the President, the Secretary of Defense, and the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, as well as solid majorities in the House and Senate. “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” is a policy that was never fair and it damages national security. I urge all those who share our commitment to repealing “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” to lobby Senators of both parties to make sure that it happens.”

So, the good news is that Rep. Frank says “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal will come to a vote this year. The bad news: kiss goodbye any hopes of equality legislation until the Democrats take back the House, retain the Senate, retain the White House, and then grow a backbone.