In the News
The Press Enterprise: LA Gay Pride: Mark Takano person of year
The organizers of the June 9 West Hollywood lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgendered pride parade named Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside, its person of the year.Christopher Street West, which produces LA PRIDE, said in a statement that "Congressman Takano's election to the United States Congress as the first openly gay person of color in this role offers hope to the next generation of LGBT Americans."Takano will ride down the parade route on Santa Monica Boulevard in a convertible.Takano's Nov. 6 … Continue Reading
May 23, 2013
Daily Kos: CA 41 Mark Takano Urges Congress To Stop Student Loan Interest Rates From Doubling
Received this e-mail from Congressman Mark Takano (D. CA-41) regarding student loan interest rates:As a high school teacher, this time of year has always been bittersweet for me. The school year is wrapping up, books are being turned in, lockers cleaned out, and California's high school seniors are getting ready to move on to the next step of their education.Seeing the potential of so many young adults, I am mixed with optimism and concern. These outstanding individuals can accomplish so … Continue Reading
May 23, 2013
Honoring Dalip Singh Saund
On May 16, US House Representative Mark Takano (D-CA) commemorated Asian Pacific American Heritage Month by honoring one of his predecessors, Dalip Singh Saund, the first Asian American (and only Sikh) to serve in US Congress (1957-1963):"Congressman Saund was the first Asian American Member of Congress, the very first Member of a non-Abrahamic faith, and the first Member born in Asia. He was also our first Sikh American to enter Congress. He also represented my hometown of Riverside, … Continue Reading
May 23, 2013
LA Pride: Brendon Ayanbadejo, Congressman Mark Takano and Councilman Bill Rosendahl among honorees
Can't believe it's less than a month until LA Pride!It's always such a great weekend and the highlight for me in the Sunday parade down Santa Monica Boulevard which this year will be held on June 9.Christopher Street West, the organization behind LA Pride, has announced this year's honorees and I think it is a stellar group!They include:PERSON OF THE YEAR AWARD | U.S. Rep. Mark Takano (D-41st District): Takano's election last November made him the first openly gay, non-white member of … Continue Reading
May 23, 2013
Human Rights Campaign: Commemorating Harvey Milk Day
Today Harvey Milk, the first openly gay man to be elected into public office in California, would have celebrated his 83rd birthday.We celebrate Harvey Milk Day, which was signed into law in 2009, by honoring his legacy and continue to keep hope alive.His inspiring "Hope Speech," entered into the Congressional Record this morning by openly-gay Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), still serves as marching orders in the fight for equality."And the young gay people in the Altoona, Pennsylvanias and … Continue Reading
May 23, 2013
AP: House to vote on variable rate student loans
House lawmakers are ready to pass legislation that links student loan rates to the financial markets in spite of a veto threat from President Barack Obama.Supported by Republicans, the bill would avoid a rate increase for students with new subsidized Stafford loans if lawmakers pass it, as expected, on Thursday. Democrats generally opposed the measure, which would provide some students a deal in the first years of the new system before ratcheting up interest rates later."As the economy … Continue Reading
May 22, 2013
Roll Call: Congress Learns to Love Hip-Hop
Maybe it's hip to be square? Or maybe it's hip to be hop? At any rate, lately Congress seems to have embraced popular culture generally and hip-hop specifically.Or maybe it's simply that 30-something members of Congress, cats who came of age in the 1990s, are just being true to their great musical past.As in most things in the world of hip-hop, there are the true emcees and there are wannabes.For example, there is Rep. André Carson, D-Ind., who used to be a battle emcee. His communications … Continue Reading
May 22, 2013
KPCC: Democrats push back on House student loan bill
Former high school teacher and Riverside Congressman Mark Takano objects to GOP student loan billThe interest rates on federal student loans are set to double at the end of June. The House of Representatives is expected to vote this week on a measure that ties those loans to the price the government pays to borrow money. But Democrats say that's still too expensive.The Republican bill links interest rates on federal student loans to the rates for a 10-year Treasury note and tacks on a … Continue Reading
May 21, 2013
The Press Enterprise: Immigration Reform: Perris forum warns of fraud
A community forum Saturday in Perris will explain immigration-reform proposals in Congress and warn participants of fraudsters preying on immigrants' hope of legalization.This year is seen as the best chance in years for passage of an immigration-reform measure with a path to citizenship for people who entered the country illegally or overstayed their visas.A representative from the office of Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside, will explain the main provisions of Senate immigration-reform … Continue Reading
May 21, 2013
Inland News Today: Mental patients victims of 'Greyhound Therapy'
INLAND EMPIRE - (INT) - The local region is on the receiving end of Nevada's 'patient dumping'.A recent investigation found that the Rawson-Neal Psychiatric Hospital in Las Vegas bused approximately 1,500 mentally ill patients out of Nevada over the past five years.The investigation showed that 500 patients were sent to California. Twenty-seven wound up in the Inland Empire.Riverside Congressman Mark Takano deplored the shipping of patients with a history of mental illness to other … Continue Reading
May 21, 2013
The Hill: Dem marks Harvey Milk day on House floor
Freshman Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) on Tuesday marked Harvey Milk day, which is tomorrow, by reading a famous speech on the House floor from Milk, the first openly gay person to win election in California.Takano, the first openly gay non-white member of Congress in U.S. history, recalled Milk's comments that the election of gay people helps bring hope to gay children across the country."Two days after I was elected, I got a phone call, and the voice was quite young," Takano said … Continue Reading
May 21, 2013
LA PRIDE LGBT Pride in West Hollywood - 2013 LA PRIDE HONOREES
One of the most special aspects of LA Pride is our annual Honorees Program. This is the recognition of the people, organizations, businesses and groups that have made extraordinary contributions to the LGBT community-here in L.A., at the national level or even around the world. In addition to being in the LA Pride parade on Sunday, June 9, 2013, our honorees are celebrated at a number of exclusive pre-Pride events and participate in all media opportunities. With a demonstrated commitment to … Continue Reading
May 14, 2013
Philly.com: For short-attention fans
Got a minute? I've got 10 people you should meet.Exactly a minute. Six seconds for each.You can do it on Vine, Twitter's mobile app that lets people make and share six-second video loops known as "vines."You could get a superfast introduction to the glories of this video-looping app via some of its budding auteurs, people like:Vine's simple. Your mobile device doesn't start taking movies until you touch the screen. Finger off, it stops. Touch, it starts again. Repeat … Continue Reading
May 14, 2013
WEHOville: Christopher Street West Announces LA Pride 2013 Honorees
The National Gay and Lesbian Task Force has been named Community Grand Marshal for LA Pride 2013. The announcement was made Monday (May 13) by Rodney Scott, president of Christopher Street West, the non-profit organization that produces LA Pride and has advocated for the lesbian/gay/bisexual/transgender community for 43 years.The mission of NGLTF, founded 40 years ago, is to train activists and help state and local organizations build campaigns to defeat anti-LGBT referenda and advance … Continue Reading
May 08, 2013
The Press Enterprise: Rep. Takano honors former councilman Ameal Moore
Three-term Riverside councilman Ameal Moore, who died April 29 of cancer, was honored on the House floor Tuesday, May 7, by Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside.Moore, the city's second black councilman, represented Ward 2 from 1994 to 2006. He also served for eight years in the Air Force, worked for the U.S. Postal Service and volunteered with many community groups over the years. Read a news obituary for Moore here.In his floor speech, Takano described Moore's record of service and noted that his … Continue Reading
May 08, 2013
The Press Enterprise: Veterans turn to Congress for VA help
In recent years, Congress has been blasted repeatedly for not getting much done.But some area veterans say the Department of Veterans Affairs is even worse, and a default solution for an increasing number of veterans is to turn to their congressional representatives for help.The VA came under fire - not for the first time - in March, when the Government Accounting Office released a study showing that the average wait for a veteran disability claim to be processed was 318 days. In recent … Continue Reading
May 06, 2013
The Press Enterprise: Angry At Busing
The Sacramento Bee's revelations that Nevada mental health officials routinely bought bus tickets to send mentally ill people unaccompanied to California and other states has triggered an uproar by California lawmakers.Dozens of the patients were sent to destinations in Riverside and San Bernardino counties, The Bee reported.Last week, Rep. Mark Takano, D-Riverside, was among 21 members of California's congressional delegation who sent colleagues a letter to federal health officials … Continue Reading
May 02, 2013
Human Rights Campaign: Rep. Takano Stands in Support of LGBT Binational Couples from House Floor
Last week, Rep. Mark Takano (D- Calif.) spoke from the floor of House of Representatives in support of the immigration proposal recently released by Senate's Gang of 8, though noted his concern over the legislation's failure to address binational LGBT families."Keeping these loving families apart is wrong and it's bad for the economy," said … Continue Reading
April 29, 2013
Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Liberals pressure Gwen Moore to pledge to oppose all cuts to Social Security, Medicare, Medicaid benefits
The Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a liberal political action committee, is asking its supporters to call U.S. Rep. Gwen Moore (D-Milwaukee) and urge her to sign the so-called Grayson-Takano letter."Representative Gwen Moore has not yet signed the letter, and she is hurting the ability of progressive leaders to protect Social Security, Medicare and Medicaid benefits," the email to supporters says.The letter, to be sent to President Barack Obama, is signed by 39 Democratic … Continue Reading
April 29, 2013
The Huffington Post: The Challenges of Being a Gay Member of Congress
With more LGBT members of Congress than ever before, now is the time to define LGBT leadership as a cadre of policymakers willing to strain a political system resistant to LGBT-affirming laws and shape public opinion on behalf of all LGBT Americans. These seven LGBT lawmakers are part of a community that, until recently, has been invisible on the national stage. With few of their peers willing to advance LGBT-affirming legislation, the onus is on them make our presence not only heard but … Continue Reading