Scoop: Rep. Mark Takano to lead Congress' LGBTQ+ caucus
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Rep. Mark Takano at the Democratic National Convention in Chicago, Ill., in August. Photo: Tom Williams/CQ-Roll Call, Inc via Getty Images.
Rep. Mark Takano (D-Calif.) will serve as chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, a group of pro-LGBTQ+ House Democrats, in the 119th Congress, Axios has learned.
Why it matters: The role positions the Californian at the center of an emerging fight over transgender rights that has already seen House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) institute a trans bathroom ban for the U.S. Capitol.
- It comes as the GOP-controlled House plans to take up a bill banning transgender athletes from women's and girls' sports as one of its first votes of 2025.
Driving the news: "Over the next several years, we will see a constant barrage of attacks on the rights and dignity of the queer community—especially against our transgender siblings," Takano said in a statement first shared with Axios.
- As chair, he said, "I will lead our coalition of openly-LGBTQI+ members and our allies in the fight to both defend the queer community and push equality forward, including by reintroducing the Equality Act."
- Takano is replacing Rep. Mark Pocan (D-Wisc.), who said in a statement: "Our community will have a strong defender against Republicans' incoming attacks with Representative Takano as our chair."
Zoom out: Takano, elected to Congress in 2013, is the first openly gay Asian-American member of Congress.
- During unsuccessful bids for Congress in the 1990s, he was outed by his Republican opponent.
- He also serves as the ranking member of the House Veterans' Affairs Committee.
Between the lines: Transgender and LGBTQ+ rights are poised to come to the fore this Congress with Rep-elect Sarah McBride (D-Del.) set to be sworn in Friday as the first transgender member of Congress.
- Rep. Nancy Mace (R-S.C.) last November led a charge to restrict McBride from accessing women's bathrooms at the U.S. Capitol, leaning Johnson to institute a trans bathroom ban on the House side of the Capitol complex.
- McBride, for her part, has cast the issue as a distraction and signaled plans not to make it her focus as she settles into her role.
Zoom in: In addition to McBride, Congress is welcoming two new openly LGBTQ+ members — Reps-elect Emily Randall (D-Wash.) and Julie Johnson (D-Texas).
- They join 10 other openly gay members of Congress — one senator and nine House members.
