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Now that Congress has approved repeal of the ban on gay men and lesbians serving openly in the armed forces, a Wisconsin congresswoman is urging the Defense Department to reconsider the less-than-honorable discharges issued to some soldiers under the policy.

In a letter to Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, Representative Gwen Moore, a Democrat, said veterans who had received “other than honorable” discharges because they are gay were being unfairly barred from access to medical care and other military benefits.

“Even after we have ceremoniously repealed ‘don’t’ ask, don’t tell,’ we know there are still consequences,” Ms. Moore said in a statement to The Caucus. “For some gays and lesbians, the policy might as well have been – don’t ask, don’t tell, don’t provide veterans the benefits they earned.”

MILWAUKEE, Wis. (WTAQ) – Members of Congress usually don’t weigh in on state legislation, but Democrat Gwen Moore held a news conference at her Milwaukee office to criticize the voter ID bill now being debated in Madison. Standing behind her were representatives of civil rights, disability rights, seniors and clergy groups. Moore says she battled

House Republicans have indicated that of the six Democratic amendments to H.R. 359 (now under consideration), only one of these will be seen as germane.

That amendment is from Rep. Gary Peters (D-Mich.), which would ensure that money saved through the bill would be used for deficit reduction. The House indicated just moments ago that it would approve this amendment.
The House is now discussing the other five amendments, but is expected to raise a point of order against them. These amendments would let unused money pay for security at presidential nominating conventions (from Rep. Kathy Castor of Florida); alter the bill to maintain funding for presidential campaigns (from Castor); prohibit entities that get federal funds from advocating or opposing a candidate (Rep. Niki Tsongas of Massachusetts); and change the voluntary financing system (one from Rep. Jared Polis of Colorado and another from Rep. Gwen Moore of Wisconsin).

The House on Tuesday quickly approved two resolutions that named several members to House committees on the Budget, Foreign Affairs and others.
The Democratic resolution, H.Res. 52, named the following members to the Budget Committee: Reps. Allyson Schwartz (Pa.), Marcy Kaptur (Ohio), Lloyd Doggett (Texas), Earl Blumenauer (Ore.), Betty McCollum (Minn.), John Yarmuth (Ky.), Bill Pascrell (N.J.), Mike Honda (Calif.), Tim Ryan (Ohio), Debbie Wasserman Schultz (Fla.), Gwen Moore (Wis.), Kathy Castor (Fla.), Heath Shuler (N.C.), Paul Tonko (N.Y.) and Karen Bass (Calif.).

Democrats also named Schwartz to the House Foreign Affairs Committee, Rep. Zoe Lofgren (Calif.) and Charles Gonzalez (Texas) to the House Administration Committee, and Rep. Linda Sanchez (Calif.) to the Committee on Veterans’ Affairs.

Members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation on Saturday denounced the deadly Arizona shooting spree as a horrific and senseless act of violence.
Some said the shootings that left their colleague, U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.), critically injured would not stop them from holding similar town hall-style meetings like the one Giffords was having outside a grocery store when she and others were shot.

Rep. Jim Sensenbrenner, a Menomonee Falls Republican, had no plans to call off a 1 p.m. Sunday town hall meeting at Pewaukee City Hall, spokeswoman Wendy Riemann said.
But at the urging of the House sergeant at arms, Sensenbrenner will have a police presence at his meeting “to ensure everyone’s safe,” Riemann said.

Capitol police also told lawmakers to be more vigilant about security as they conduct meetings with constituents, Riemann said.

Sensenbrenner has town hall meetings scheduled Monday in Washington, Waukesha and Ozaukee counties.

Rep. Gwen Moore, a Milwaukee Democrat, is in Milwaukee and proceeding with her schedule as normal, said her spokesman, David Frey.

MADISON – Governor-elect Scott Walker says Wisconsin will not have to pay back 14-million dollars it spent on the Milwaukee-to-Madison high-speed train project before it was scrapped yesterday.

U.S. Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood pulled $1.2 billion in stimulus rail funds from Wisconsin and Ohio, because their new Republican governors didn’t want them. Thirteen other states will share the money for their high-speed trains. Walker said he now hopes Washington will focus on the “true needs” of Wisconsin and other states – and that’s quote, “fixing our crumbling roads and bridges.”

“A month before he’s even been sworn into to office, Governor-elect Walker has lost good jobs for Wisconsinites,” U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore of Milwaukee said in a written statement. “He’s denied our state an opportunity to be part of a new, nationwide transportation system that would have brought economic benefits along with it.”