U.S. President Obama is taking additional heat from gay and lesbian couples. Nationally he has been denounced, condemned, and called a liar after refusing the sign an executive order preventing gay and lesbian discrimination for companies who accept federal contracts. Now, Administration officials in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts are taking another run at the U.S. Administration, as well as citizens. In 2010 U.S. District Court Judge Joseph Tauro ruled that the Defense of Marriage Act’s denial of federal rights and benefits to lawfully married Massachusetts couples “offends” the notion of states’ rights as enshrined in the 10th amendment to the U.S. Constitution.

On July 08, 2009 the Commonwealth of Massachusetts sued the United States Government for infringing on the sovereignty of the Commonwealth with the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) because marriage is “an exclusive prerogative of the states.” Yesterday, the Obama administration defended its right to define marriage as a heterosexual union before a federal judge considering the constitutionality of the Defense Of Marriage Act (DOMA), the AP reported.

After a Florida hospital denied a lesbian access to see her partner, U.S. President Obama signed a memorandum directing the U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services to “ensure” that hospitals which participate in Medicare and Medicaid “respect the rights of patients to designate visitors” and allow those visitors the same privileges as immediate family members. The memorandum does not carry to weight of law. Kentucky Governor Steve Beshear, or the governor of any other state could have issued a similar memorandum or executive order for hospitals receiving state funds, or that participate in Medicare and Medicaid.

Facing a deadline of midnight tonight to adjourn, legislative leaders have yet to agree on a budget. Governor Beshear told Kentucky lawmakers to “get their egos under control” and produce a budget by midnight as Kentuckians expect. Currently, the new budget has no funding for the Kentucky AIDS Drug Assistance Program, but an effort led by Kentucky Equality Federation effectively killed House Bill 350, a bill that would have dismantled the education and prevention efforts performed by the Kentucky HIV/AIDS Branch, a unit of the Cabinet for Health and Family Services.

Jackson Memorial Hospital may be ranked among “America’s Best Hospitals,” but it has a spotty track record in dealing with LGBT issues. While a lesbian was dying in the hospital, hospital officials denied her partner visitation rights. This is the same sort of problem Kentucky Equality Federation and Louisville’s Fairness Campaign have been trying to prevent in Kentucky.

Governor Steve Beshear has been receiving threatening letters ordering him to resign according to his security detachment from the Kentucky State Police. Governor Beshear kept a campaign promise to Kentucky’s gay and lesbian community by issuing an executive order adding equal opportunity employment to all employees and prospective employees.

Last week, Western Kentucky University’s “employee benefit committee” voted 8 to 6 against allowing benefits for both same-sex and opposite-sex unmarried partners. According to school officials, only about a handful of university employees would actually qualify for the “domestic partner” benefits if the university was to offer it. The issue was first brought up last year after resolutions were passed by the Student Government Association and University Senate.

In a series of condemnations and action alerts to raise public awareness of bad legislation, Kentucky Equality Federation, now joined by the Kentucky HIV/AIDS Advocacy Action Group condemned House Bill 350. With Kentucky’s economy in ruins, additional human services are expected to be cut by lawmakers before the end of the 2010 legislative session.

Since the termination of the Kentucky AIDS Assistance Program people living with HIV/AIDS are in need of assistance today more than ever. With December 1st being World Aids Day, I can think of no better way to contribute to the Worldwide event than to make a donate to AVOL, or attend their Red Ribbon Ball on December 5th at The Red Mile in Lexington.

U.S. House moves to extend health benefits to gay couples, but its future in the U.S. Senate remains unclear. Kentucky’s Mitch McConnell (R) a senior Senator and the U.S. Senate Minority Leader will like vote against it, or worse still, attempt to stop the bill in the U.S. Senate.