U.S. House of Representatives

WASHINGTON — A Republican-controlled House panel beat back measures on Tuesday that would have made LGBT protections part of legislation aiming to extend federal authorization for domestic violence programs.

MISSOULA, Mont. — Montana Congressional Candidate Dave Strohmaier, who is running as a progressive Democrat Montana’s single seat in the U.S. House of Representatives, has released his first political commercial, a groundbreaking campaign ad that endorses marriage equality.

A Massachusetts federal court has turned down a request from attorneys representing gay troops to move up the deadline for House Republicans to intervene in a case challenging the Defense of Marriage Act.

WASHINGTON — A group of 72 U.S. House members are calling on President Obama to take administrative action to institute federal non-discrinination protections for LGBT people in the workplace.

The recently outed gay sheriff of Pinal County, Ariz., says if he’s elected to Congress he’ll support pro-LGBT initiatives and help change perceptions lawmakers have about gay people, and that his election would be “very impactful and helpful” in changing “the views, perceptions, beliefs about who we are.”

WASHINGTON — A Republican lawmaker has introduced new legislation aimed at prohibiting gay and lesbian service members from marrying on U.S. military bases, and would require new regulations related to chaplains and other military personnel.

U.S. Rep. Gabrielle Giffords, the Arizona congresswoman who survived an assassination attempt in a massacre that left six others dead one year ago, has announced that she will resign from Congress this week.

PHOENIX — Openly bisexual Arizona state Senator Kyrsten Sinema has announced she’s resigning her Senate seat to launch a campaign for U.S. House, representing Arizona’s newly drafted Ninth Congressional District.

Significant events are crowding the calendar for 2012, and each promises considerable drama and suspense for the LGBT community. Here is our special report on the ten most important stories to keep an eye on:

WASHINGTON — Lawmakers on Capitol Hill unveiled on Monday an agreement on major defense budget legislation that omits anti-gay provisions found in the House version of the legislation — including language that would have prohibited military chaplains and facilities from being involved in same-sex marriage ceremonies.