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HRC commends nomination of John Kerry for Secretary of State

HRC commends nomination of John Kerry for Secretary of State

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC) on Friday praised the nomination of U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.) to be Secretary of State during President Obama’s second term.

Obama will formally announce the nomination today at the White House, according to sources.

U.S. Sen. John Kerry (D-Mass.)

Kerry, chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, would replace Hillary Rodham Clinton if confirmed by his fellow senators — he is not expected to face much resistance in the Senate for confirmation.

“We commend President Obama’s decision to nominate Sen. John Kerry to be the next Secretary of State,” said HRC President Chad Griffin, in a statement.

“Sen. Kerry has been a trailblazer in the fight for LGBT equality, both domestically and internationally. His leadership in repealing the HIV travel ban, as well as his steadfast support for employment non-discrimination protections and addressing the needs LGBT homeless youth demonstrate his dedication to equality and to the rights of LGBT people worldwide.

“The State Department’s unwavering commitment to LGBT people around the world under the leadership of Secretary Clinton has been exemplary. We look forward to even more progress, including growth of the Global Equality Fund and continued support for the human rights of LGBT people, as Sen. Kerry takes the helm.”

Kerry secured the Democratic Party’s presidential nomination in 2004, but lost the general election to incumbent President George W. Bush.

He has consistently scored a 100 on HRC’s Congressional Scorecard, which rates members of Congress on their support for issues of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality.

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