114th Congress

Tourism has grown to be one of the United States’ most important industries, with one in nine U.S. jobs depending on it. Travel employment increased for the tenth month in a row this past April, according to an U.S. Travel Association estimate. And in 2015, domestic and international travelers spent $947 billion in the U.S. and directly supported more than 8.1 million U.S. jobs. Travel is also America’s largest service export, as well as one of our top job generating industries. So, it would stand to reason that Congress should be looking for ways to support this industry and increase international tourism.

Well yes, another mass shooting, this one more deadly than any before it. Oman Mateen’s actions yesterday morning are being ascribed to the influence of ISIS, homophobia, mental instability, and the availability of high powered weapons. So, what can government do? Also, the impact on and reaction from American Muslims and the LGBT community. These are our three points of discussion tonight. Congressman Mike Quigley is a member of the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence and he is Vice Chair of the Congressional LGBT Quality Caucus, and we have him on the phone.

Congressional Democrats on Monday urged the removal of U.S. restrictions on blood donations from gay and bisexual men, calling the policy unwarranted in the aftermath of Sunday's shooting rampage at a gay nightclub in Florida.

“Politicians from around the state condemn the attack, including U.S. Representative Mike Quigley who serves on the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus.”

WASHINGTON — In the hours following Sunday’s mass shooting at a gay club in Orlando, Florida, local officials made urgent appeals for people to donate blood. But gay and bisexual men were not welcome.

Leading gay rights advocates in Congress plan to ask the White House to end a decades-old policy that prohibits many gay men from donating blood in the wake of the deadly Orlando, Fla., shooting at a gay nightclub.