20 Democratic Senators Petition Pompeo To Reverse “Cruel” Denial Of Visas To Partners Of LGBT Diplomats

Politico reports:

Twenty Democratic senators on Thursday urged Secretary of State Mike Pompeo to reverse course on the “unnecessarily cruel” decision to end an Obama-era policy that granted visas to the same-sex partners of LGBTQ diplomats whose unions are not recognized by their home countries.

In July, the U.S. mission to the United Nations informed foreign delegations that beginning Oct. 1, the State Department would no longer issue G-4 visas to same-sex partners of foreign diplomats and U.N. officials who are not legally married, reversing a policy that former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton had instituted.

The Democratic senators — led by Bob Casey of Pennsylvania, Jeff Merkley of Oregon and Chris Coons of Delaware — expressed concern over the policy change, saying it would permit discrimination toward the diplomats. Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, an independent who caucuses with Democrats, also signed the letter.

Hit the link above for much more. Read the full letter and see the names of its signatories here.