ENDA introduced with bipartisan backing

[ProSense]

ENDA introduced with bipartisan backing

By Steve Benen

The legislation has been pending for nearly two decades, but in this Congress, ENDA will have more support than ever before.

In the United States today, it's perfectly legal under federal law and in a majority of states to fire someone for being LGBT. Today, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the House and Senate once again introduced legislation that would change that.

If passed, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013 (ENDA) would prohibit most public and private employers from discriminating against workers based on their sexual orientation and gender identity. Led by Senator Jeff Merkley (D-OR) and Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO), this commonsense bill levels the playing field for LGBT workers by finally affording them the same workplace rights and safeguards afforded to other protected classes on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, and disability, among others.

The full list of cosponsors is not yet available online, but Jared Polis' press release points to bipartisan backing in both chambers: in addition to the many Democrats backing ENDA, the bill has also drawn the support of a few Republicans: Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (Fla.) in the House, and Mark Kirk (Ill.) and Susan Collins (Maine) in the Senate.

What's more, President Obama has said, on multiple occasions, that he would welcome the opportunity to sign the bill if it reaches his desk.

Many Capitol Hill watchers will be keeping an eye on Sen. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), who recently endorsed marriage equality, citing his gay son. If he believes gay Americans deserve equal marriage rights, will he also endorse the right of gay Americans not to be fired because of their sexual orientation?

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http://maddowblog.msnbc.com/_news/2013/04/25/17915739-enda-introduced-with-bipartisan-backing

[ProSense]

1. ACLU: Employment Non-Discrimination Act Statement

Employment Non-Discrimination Act Statement

The bipartisan introduction of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) today reflects the strong national consensus that workers should be evaluated on their merits, not sexual orientation or gender identity. As organizations that have, for decades, challenged LGBT workplace discrimination in the courts and worked for passage of inclusive non-discrimination laws at the local, state, and federal level, our commitment to the passage of a robust ENDA remains absolute and resolute. The continued need for this legislation is clear and it is of vital importance to LGBT people across the country.

Despite the remarkable progress – cultural, political, and legal – that LGBT people have made in recent years, there are currently 34 states that lack workplace non-discrimination laws that are fully inclusive of LGBT people. This patchwork of protection continues to leave LGBT people vulnerable to workplace discrimination. We hear the stories every day from our clients and the tens of thousands of LGBT people who contact LGBT legal organizations like ours every year. In a country that values fairness and equal treatment under the law, we believe the current situation is unacceptable.

We greatly appreciate the efforts of Sens. Merkley (D-Ore.) and Kirk (R-Ill.) and Reps. Polis (D-Colo.) and Ros-Lehtinen (R-Fla.) in making a number of significant improvements to ENDA. These include removing language that would have reaffirmed the discriminatory and unconstitutional Defense of Marriage Act.

While we applaud the progress that has been made, we stand united in expressing very grave concerns with the religious exemption in ENDA. It could provide religiously affiliated organizations – far beyond houses of worship – with a blank check to engage in employment discrimination against LGBT people. Some courts have said that even hospitals and universities may be able to claim the exemption; thus, it is possible that a religiously affiliated hospital could fire a transgender doctor or a religiously affiliated university could terminate a gay groundskeeper. It gives a stamp of legitimacy to LGBT discrimination that our civil rights laws have never given to discrimination based on an individual’s race, sex, national origin, age, or disability. This sweeping, unprecedented exemption undermines the core goal of ENDA by leaving too many jobs, and LGBT workers, outside the scope of its protections.

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http://www.aclu.org/lgbt-rights/employment-non-discrimination-act-statement