DNC Chair Predicts Marriage Equality Inclusion For Democratic Platform

Democratic National Committee Chair Debbie Wasserman Schultz says she plans on seeing marriage equality included in her party's official policy platform.

"I expect marriage equality to be a plank in the national party platform," the Florida Representative told Philadelphia Gay News. "Now, our platform committee process is a people-powered process. We have a platform committee and the platform is developed by our Democratic activists and the platform committee members, so they’ll go through a process. I hope that marriage equality, and expect that marriage equality, will be part of our platform."

Rep. Wasserman Schultz also said that while many Democrats remain committed to passing a transgender-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act, groundwork needs to be in place before a serious effort can get going. "Just like what we went through with the hate-crimes law, in order to make sure that we could pass an inclusive hate-crimes law — we had to go through the community — we had to go through an education process. There had to be more outreach," she explained.

"We’ve been going through the same process with ENDA. I think really the last barrier to achieving ENDA is making sure that we have a Democratic majority in Congress so that we can send it to President Barack Obama for his signature. We have a Republican Congress that is so extreme."

As for whether the party will specifically help lesbian Rep. Tammy Baldwin win her Senatorial race, Wasserman-Schutlz says that's a question for the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee, but promised "Tammy Baldwin is going to be the next U.S. senator from Wisconsin."