Weekly LGBT news update

• This week the United States House of Representatives debated an expanded Hate Crimes bill, called the "Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, H.R. 1592" here's some of the best rebuttals to the "we don't need this" claims from the GOP.
  
  
• The expanded Hate Crimes Bill passed the House of Representatives with a vote of 237-180, and Senator Kennedy introduced the matching measure in the Senate. Obama pledges to sign the final Bill when sent to his desk.
  
  
• Judy Shephard is on the Rachel Maddow show.
  
  
• Kathy Griffin accepted her 2009 Glaad award in a bikini. She's looking fit!
  
  
• The Vatican is investigating groups of religious sisters (nuns to us common folk) in the United States for being a little too gay-friendly.
  
  
• A report investigates if military linguists were not fired under Don't Ask, Don't Tell, could we have possibly avoided 9/11...
  
  
• Similarly, Outrage, a movie about political homophobia and anti-gay hypocrisy came out recently. At a D.C. screening, the New Jersey Governor "storms out".
  
  
• Iowa began marrying same-sex couples this week.
  
  
• Meet in the Middle is encouraging change in California by heading to our Central Valley.
  
  
• Keith Lewis, a Producer of the Miss USA pageant, turns on Miss California, Carrie Prejean.
  
  
• Top Gun and L Word acctress Kelly McGillis comes out.