The House of Representatives will vote Wednesday on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act which would protect gays and lesbians in the workforce and on an amendment that would extend those protections to include gender identity.
ENDA originally included all members of the LGBT community, but the bill's author, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) removed gender identity fearing the legislation might not get out of committee. The move angered most LGBT rights groups, many of whom accused Frank of selling out transsexuals.
Nevertheless, the revised bill passed the House Education and Labor Committee Thursday on a 27 - 21 vote. Several committee Democrats, including presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich refused to support the measure without the inclusion of protections for trans people.
Following the vote Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) proposed an amendment that would reinstate gender identity and secured the support of House leadership to introduce it Wednesday when ENDA reaches the floor.
ENDA, as currently worded, would make it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in hiring, firing, promoting or paying an employee. There are, however, some notable exceptions. It does not cover small businesses, religious organizations and the uniformed members of the armed forces.
The bill, and the amendment, will be in for a fight on the floor. Republicans and some Democrats say once the bill reaches the floor they will attempt to kill all of ENDA using a maneuver to send it back to committee where it would most likely languish and die in the current session.
Even if it passes both houses there is guarantee it will be signed into law. The Bush administration has been silent on the legislation, but on another LGBT rights bill - the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act - it has threatened a veto.
ENDA originally included all members of the LGBT community, but the bill's author, Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass) removed gender identity fearing the legislation might not get out of committee. The move angered most LGBT rights groups, many of whom accused Frank of selling out transsexuals.
Nevertheless, the revised bill passed the House Education and Labor Committee Thursday on a 27 - 21 vote. Several committee Democrats, including presidential candidate Dennis Kucinich refused to support the measure without the inclusion of protections for trans people.
Following the vote Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) proposed an amendment that would reinstate gender identity and secured the support of House leadership to introduce it Wednesday when ENDA reaches the floor.
ENDA, as currently worded, would make it illegal for employers to discriminate on the basis of sexual orientation in hiring, firing, promoting or paying an employee. There are, however, some notable exceptions. It does not cover small businesses, religious organizations and the uniformed members of the armed forces.
The bill, and the amendment, will be in for a fight on the floor. Republicans and some Democrats say once the bill reaches the floor they will attempt to kill all of ENDA using a maneuver to send it back to committee where it would most likely languish and die in the current session.
Even if it passes both houses there is guarantee it will be signed into law. The Bush administration has been silent on the legislation, but on another LGBT rights bill - the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act - it has threatened a veto.
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