Today the U.S. Senate voted 61 to 30 to consider the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) with strong bipartisan support including the entire Democratic caucus and Republican Sens. Kirk, Collins, Hatch, Heller, Ayotte, Toomey and Portman. The procedural move sets up a historic vote later this week, where the Senate will likely pass ENDA for first time in the legislation’s history.
After the vote the White House issued the following statement, “The president welcomes the Senate’s bipartisan first step towards final passage of S. 815, the Employment Non‑Discrimination Act of 2013. He has long supported an inclusive ENDA, which would establish lasting and comprehensive Federal protections against employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. He thanks the lawmakers from both sides of the aisle who have stood up for America’s core values of fairness and equality, and looks forward to the Senate’s consideration of ENDA. He also encourages lawmakers to ensure that the legislation remains true to its goals as it is considered.”
Sen. Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) said, “I am proud to stand with a bipartisan supermajority of Senators to say with one voice that discrimination is wrong. Members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community are our friends, our neighbors, our co-workers, and members of our families. Everyone deserves the same legal protections from discrimination, and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act is a crucial step on the path to equality for all. That’s why I have been a co-sponsor of ENDA every single time it has been introduced in Congress since it was first drafted in 1994. It is time we close this chapter of discrimination in our nation’s history and continue to work for a nation and a society that promotes diversity and tolerance at all levels.”
Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin issued the following statement: “Today we saw American democracy in action with the U.S. Senate finally following the will of a diverse and bipartisan collection of Americans calling for workplace fairness. With a super majority of Senators, more than 100 major American companies, and more than two-thirds of Americans all standing proudly in support of ENDA, there is tremendous momentum behind this common-sense bill. ENDA’s time has come, and we’re not going to stop fighting until it is passed once and for all.
“Majority Leader Reid, Chairman Harkin, lead sponsors Sens. Merkley and Kirk, and Sens. Collins and Baldwin, along with the rest of ENDA’s bipartisan co-sponsors, have brought us closer to this goal than ever before.”
As news broke today that Republican Sen. Dean Heller of Nevada would become the 60th Senate vote in support of ENDA, GOP House Speaker John Boehner suggested that he would not bring the bill to the floor in the House. Griffin said this in response:
“Unfortunately, House leadership appears to be consistently beholden to a tiny minority of anti-LGBT special interests and is already preparing to stand in the way. Americans are tired of partisanship and are looking for some sign that Washington can still get big things done. The Speaker, of all people, should certainly know what it’s like to go to work every day afraid of being fired. Instead of letting the far right trample him again, it’s time for Speaker Boehner to stand with the majority of everyday Republican voters and support ENDA.”
