The Employment Non-Discrimination Act, otherwise known as ENDA or the bill that lives to die each year, got a nice boost on Wednesday. The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Employment Committee voted 15-7 to move the bill forward to the full Senate. The last time the bill passed out of committee was eleven years ago. The vote this time came with a minimum of debate, which is either an indication of how acceptable workplace protections are or how little interest the Senate is placing on the measure.
What makes this time different, though, is the level of Republican support. Mark Kirk of Ilinois, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, and Orrin Hatch (!) of Utah all voted in favor of the measure, suggesting that the nondiscrimination measure has become relatively palatable to the GOP in an era when the heated debate is about marriage equality.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid promises a vote on ENDA “soon.” Even if the measure passes the Senate, however, it is almost certain to die in the House, where conservative Republicans call the shots. Looks like ENDA will be back again in another Congress.
Polaro
This is our next big battle.
erasure25
Honestly ENDA should be easy to pass. Firing someone solely because they are gay? How is that in any way legit. Can’t stand the do-nothing GOP. (or the do everything we can to stop democratic wins including hurting Americans-GOP)
Billysees
There will be other big battles after this.
All great works are subject to the “three steps forward, one or two steps backward rule”.
ToxicLittleQueen
Love my Oregon senators. Good job, Merkley!
Charli Girl
I say GO ALLL THE WAY!!! Housing,workplace,no religious restrictions…ALL THE WAY BAY-BEE!!!!
No more second class,we are TOO powerful,right Scalia?
karl61058
Why is this still even an issue? What year is this 1913 or 2013. Equal rights
under the law. How difficult can they make this?
It’s not the Republicans or conservatives country; it’s OUR country.
Does government for the people, by the people. Ring any bells?