Tag: Army

Posted on

Short Film ‘GIVE’ + Same-Sex Marriage In Poland + More News

Short film 'GIVE'

Some news items I thought worth your time: • Courthouse News: A legal adviser to the European Union says Poland should honor the rights of same-sex couples who marry in other EU countries. • What To Watch: The short film GIVE (photo) tells the story of a contemporary composer-pianist and a classical singer brought together by their musical talents. Streaming on Dekkoo now. Continue reading “Short Film ‘GIVE’ + Same-Sex Marriage In Poland + More News”

Posted on

Openly Gay Eric Fanning Finally Has A Confirmation Hearing Date For Army Secretary

After months of waiting, openly gay Eric Fanning will finally get a confirmation hearing for his nomination as Army Secretary in the U.S. Senate.

Via The Hill:

Fanning was nominated in September, but was designated “acting” Army Secretary when then-Army Secretary John McHugh retired in October.

Senate Armed Services Committee Chairman John McCain (R-Ariz.) told reporters last week he raised concerns with the administration that Fanning serving as “acting” secretary without being confirmed violated the Vacancies Act.

“I wasn’t going to have a hearing while they were in violation of the law, that’s you know sort of fundamental in the way I do business,” he told reporters on Monday.

Senator Pat Roberts (R-KS) has threatened to block Fanning’s confirmation should the vote reach the full senate. Roberts plans to block the confirmation over President Obama’s intentions to close Guantanamo.

Fanning has previously served as Acting Army Secretary as well as chief of staff to the Secretary of Defense and Under Secretary of the Air Force.

Eric Fanning’s confirmation hearing is set for Thursday at 9:30 A.M.

Posted on

Openly Gay Acting Army Secretary Eric Fanning Will Step Aside Until Senate Confirmation

Openly gay Eric Fanning will temporarily “step aside” from his current post as Acting Army Secretary until his nomination as permanent Army Secretary is confirmed by the Senate.

From the News Observer:

The Army’s No. 2-ranking civilian, Patrick Murphy, was confirmed as undersecretary last week, and will temporarily double as the acting Army secretary.

The Pentagon announced that Fanning was stepping down “as a show of comity” to Congress. Some members of the Senate Armed Services Committee have expressed concern that his continuing as the acting secretary would violate the Vacancies Act governing requirements for filling openings that require Senate confirmation.

Fanning had been serving as acting Army secretary since the previous holder of the office, John McHugh, stepped down late last fall.

President Barack Obama nominated Fanning in September to succeed McHugh.

If confirmed by the Senate, he would be the nation’s first openly gay leader of a military service.

Fanning had been serving as acting undersecretary of the Army since June.

Pentagon press secretary Peter Cook said in a written statement that Fanning agreed to step aside as acting secretary “to focus on achieving confirmation in the near future.”