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The Senate voted on the Mathew Shepard Hate Crimes legislation via Troop Funding Legislation for the Dept of Defense. Kafka anyone? The Hate Crimes legislation is attached as an amendment to the DOD reauthorization bill.

*Update* Hate crimes legislation passed the Senate this afternoon.

This morning from the  U.S. Department of Health and Human Services: HHS, Secretary Kathleen Sebelius announced plans to establish the nation's first national resource center to assist communities across the country in their efforts to provide services and supports for older lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals.

Yesterday from the Dept of Housing and Urban Development: HUD, announced, a series of proposed regulatory changes that would include lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) families and prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in HUD programs, as well as the first-ever nationwide survey of housing discrimination against LGBT people.

The White House Released a statement to the Advocate, regarding voter referenda in Maine and Washington State:

The White House sent the following statement regarding President Barack Obama’s position on same-sex relationship recognition voter referenda in Maine and Washington.

“The President has long opposed divisive and discriminatory efforts to deny rights and benefits to same-sex couples, and as he said at the Human Rights Campaign dinner, he believes ‘strongly in stopping laws designed to take rights away.’ Also at the dinner, he said he supports, ‘ensuring that committed gay couples have the same rights and responsibilities afforded to any married couple in this country.’"