The US House of Representatives has issued its first ever spousal ID to the same-sex partner of a member of Congress.

Democratic Representative Mark Pocan’s husband Philip Frank received the ID on April 26 after the House of Representatives Sergeant At Arms informed Pocan that his husband was now eligible to receive a spousal ID.

Previously Philip Frank had had to use a ‘designee’ ID which merely recognized him as a guest of Pocan’s in the House of Representatives.

When the chairman of the state's Republican Party stepped up and spoke out in favor of marriage equality in early January, LGBT advocates were pleasantly surprised.

But some members of Pat Brady's own party were livid and demanded that he step down from his post.

Brady had steadfastly refused - until this week.

He submitted his resignation on Tuesday (7 May). effective immediately.

President Barack Obama said he supports a new immigration bill that includes same-sex couples.

The new legislation, introduced by Senator Patrick Leahy of Vermont, would allow US citizens to sponsor their foreign same-sex partners for a green card.

Speaking at a press conference in Costa Rica on Friday (3 April), Obama said: 'The LGBT community should be treated like everybody else. That's the essential core principle behind our founding documents. The idea that we're all created equal and we're equal before the law.

Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee enthusiastically signed gay marriage into law at a  statehouse ceremony Thursday evening (2 May).

Now all of the New England states allow gay marriage. The first weddings in Rhode Island could occur on 1 August when the new law will take effect.

Chafee was surrounded by hundreds of supporters of the legislation as he signed the bill. After doing so, he gave a thumbs up to the cheering crowd.

Want to see the tangible results of the modern gay rights battle? Count the number of companies who signed the amicus brief in the US Supreme Court case involving the Defense of Marriage Act. Retailers like Amazon and Starbucks put their brand names behind marriage equality. High powered firms like Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs did the same. Approximately 300 companies said in part:

The Log Cabin Republicans, gay members of a political party that has been decidedly anti-gay in its position on marriage equality, took out an attention-getting ad Thursday (25 April) urging the party to change its ways.

The full-page ad in Politico states: 'Reagan’s Big Tent Isn’t What it Used to Be…'

Former president George W Bush has refused to comment on same-sex marriage, saying he did not want to weigh in on ‘those issues’.

Speaking to CBS This Morning, the ‘misunderestimated’ president from 2001 to 2009 was asked about his one-time support for a constitutional amendment banning equal marriage.

‘Yeah, well, I’m not, I’m not weighing in on those issues, as you know, because I’ve made the decision to get off the stage,’ Bush replied. ‘And so I’m off the stage.’

As the Colombian Senate prepares its second attempt to vote on marriage equality bill shortly today, we speak to Green Party senator John Sudarsky, an ardent supporter of LGBT rights in Colombia.

Last week Colombia’s Senate decided to postpone the debate on same sex marriage until today (23 April).

However most commentators are pessimistic, after an agreement was allegedly reached between Colombia’s two largest parties, the Conservative and the ‘U’, to not allow the bill to become law.

The Rhode Island Senate's judiciary committee voted 7-4 today to send a marriage equality vote forward to the full senate for a vote that could happen as early as Wednesday (24 April).

Rhode Island is the only New England state where gay marriage is not yet legal. Governor Lincoln Chafee has made clear he will sign the bill into law if it passes the senate.

Senator Rob Portman's approval numbers have declined since declaring his backing of same sex marriage.

Poet Sierra DeMulder eviscerates anti-gay Minnesota Congresswoman Michele Bachmann during her performance in the Women of the World Poetry Slam.

DeMulder, a finalist in the competition, delivered a powerful spoken word performance that focused on the congresswoman's anti-gay rhetoric and the work of her husband, Marcus Bachmann, with an 'ex-gay' clinic in Minnesota.

The Republican National Committee today voted to reaffirm the party's opposition to gay marriage during a three-day meeting in Los Angeles.

The vote comes as public opinion polls show more than half of Americans support marriage equality. It also comes as the US Supreme Court is deciding whether or not the Defense of Marriage Act and California's Proposition 8 are constitutional.

Meeting at Loews Hollywood Hotel, party leaders unanimously approved 12 resolutions in all, including one affirming that marriage is 'a union between one man and one woman.'