Mark Pocan

• Political Party: Democrat
  
• Birth date: 8/14/64
  
• Profiles: Wikipedia Twitter Facebook

Massachusetts became the first state to elect an openly gay attorney general, while the gay candidate in Maine’s gubernatorial race narrowly lost his chance to make history. Nationally, gay-rights activists worried that conservative gains in Congress would hamper their bid for federal anti-bias legislation.

MILWAUKEE — Democratic U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan has won a second term in the U.S. House seat representing the Madison area. Pocan, who is openly gay, defeated Republican Peter Theron on Tuesday.

MADISON, Wis. — Gov. Scott Walker and Democratic challenger Mary Burke sparred over same-sex marriage on Monday, with Burke saying the Republican incumbent was waffling on whether he believes gay couples should be able to get married in Wisconsin. Both Burke and Walker were asked about their positions on gay marriage during separate events in Madison.

MILWAUKEE — The four Democratic members of Wisconsin’s congressional delegation are asking U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder to recognize the marriages of gay couples who recently wed in Wisconsin. More than 500 couples wed from June 6 to Friday after a federal judge declared Wisconsin’s ban on gay marriage unconstitutional.

MADISON, Wis. — A federal judge struck down Wisconsin’ ban on same-sex marriage Friday, the latest in a string of such rulings that have come in rapid succession across the United States. Same sex-couples in two cities began getting married about an hour after the ruling despite confusion over whether the decision cleared the way for the marriages to begin immediately.

The International Olympic Committee on Tuesday came under increased pressure to prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination and ensure future host countries do not have discriminatory laws on their books.

WASHINGTON — The U.S. Supreme Court will hear two cases next week that test the degree to which employers may use their personal religious beliefs to deny certain health coverage for employees. Neither case involves any LGBT-related health coverage; but the decisions in both may affect whether employers will be able to cite religious beliefs to deny such services as alternative insemination and gender reassignment.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sens. Brian Schatz (D-Hawaii) and Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) on Thursday introduced legislation to correct the records of service members discharged from the U.S. military solely due to their sexual orientation prior to the repeal of Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell, to reflect honorable service and reinstate benefits they would have earned.

WASHINGTON — Freshman U.S. Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney plans to marry his long-time partner, who proposed over Christmas.

WASHINGTON — Legislation that would extend employee benefit programs to cover same-sex domestic partners of federal civilian employees on the same basis as spousal benefits was introduced Thursday in the U.S. House and Senate.

Under an arcane and seldom enforced “marriage evasion” law, Wisconsin same-sex couples who tie the knot in a marriage-equality state, such as neighboring Iowa or Minnesota, could face nine months in jail and a $10,000 fine when they return home as newlyweds.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin is leading a group of 85 House and Senate lawmakers criticizing what she’s says is the sluggish pace the nation’s top health officials have taken at reevaluating blood donation policies for gay men.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.) and Gwen Moore (D-Wisc.) on Thursday introduced legislation supporting lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender runaway and homeless youth.

WASHINGTON — U.S. Reps. Mark Pocan (D-Wis.) and Charlie Rangel (D-N.Y.) on Friday proposed legislation that would ensure gay and lesbian service members who were discharged for no other reason than their sexual orientation would have their military records upgraded to reflect honorable service.

Openly gay U.S. Rep. Mark Pocan’s husband has received an ID issued only to the spouses of federal lawmakers. It is the first time the House has recognized the same-sex husband of a member with the House Spouse ID.

In a historic day at the start of the 113th Congress, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) was sworn into office on Thursday as the junior U.S. senator from Wisconsin, officially becoming the first openly gay senator.

“When the history books are written, 2012 will be remembered as the year when LGBT Americans won decisively at the ballot box,” said HRC President Chad Griffin, in a statement issued on the morning of Nov. 7.

The Nov. 6 election resulted in four new lesbian, gay and bisexual candidates winning seats in the House of Representatives and all eyes are now on them to see what they’ll do on LGBT issues upon taking office.

PHOENIX — Democrat Kyrsten Sinema on Monday was declared the winner in the election to represent Arizona’s Ninth District in the U.S. House of Representatives.

Sean Patrick Maloney has become the second openly gay non-incumbent to win election to Congress tonight.  He beat Rep. Nan Hayworth, a Republican who is serving in her first term in the House.