“When Congressman Mark Takano took the stage over the weekend at a student veterans convention in Orlando, Fla., it marked his first public address as chairman of the House Committee on Veterans’ Affairs — a position that will enable him to set priorities in Congress for veterans for the next two years…”
“He listed overlooked minority groups, starting with women veterans — an acknowledgement that received some applause from the crowd. When Takano noted the importance of appreciating LGBTQ veterans, the applause grew even louder.”
“Then I said, ‘Oh, I guess it’s safe to say in here that I’m the first openly gay person of color elected to Congress,’ and the whole convention erupted…” Read the full article here.
Source: Takano takes helm of VA committee, inspired by ‘positive force’ of incoming House members – By Nikki Wentling, January 10, 2019. Stars and Stripes.
