HRC announces 'No Excuses' initiative

The Human Rights Campaign announced the formation of its new No Excuses initiative, designed to bring HRC members face-to-face with members of Congress, on July 30.

"To [have members] tell their stories, to simply introduce themselves as constituents and tell their stories ... That's always the way that we've made change, that's the way we've come as far as we have," HRC president Joe Solmonese said on July 31.

"What we are seeing with a new Congress and a new President...is that we need to do that work in a more expansive way than we ever have before."

No Excuses takes advantage of the Congressional summer recess, allowing members of the equality organization to meet members of Congress and discuss LGBT issues.

"[We are going to use] this opportunity to make sure that [members of Congress] are fully briefed and fully aware of what's at stake, and that they understand that the community is really looking to them to really move forward in an expeditious way," Solmonese said, "whether it's nudging them and compelling them to move more quickly on the Employment Non-Discrimination act or 'Don't ask, don't tell,' or whether it's simply arming them with the information that they need...to move in the direction of supporting those issues."

To find more information on No Excuses, or to sign up, visit www.noexcuses.hrc.org.