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 ENDA
Vote Again Delayed
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: October 31, 2007 - 1:00 pm ET
(Washington) For the second time in two weeks a
vote has been put off on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act.
The vote originally was to have
been taken last week, but was moved to today because of other
pressing business in the House.
"We're hoping it comes up
next week," Steve Adamske, Congressman Barney Frank's
press aide told 365Gay.com Wednesday.
The delays have resulted in
increased lobbying on both sides of the issue.
"We're making sure we have
the votes in line," Adamske said.
The vote delays are are the
latest in a series of problems ENDA has encountered.
It originally included all
members of the LGBT community, but Frank (D-Mass), the bill's
author, 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 last week on a
27 - 21 vote. (story)
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. (story)
Frank and Baldwin are the only
two out members of Congress.
Frank has said he would support
the amendment and has been lobbying for its passage. (story)
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,
churches and the uniformed members of the armed forces.
A Senate version has yet to be
introduced.
Last week the White House said
the bill is likely unconstitutional and that if it passes in
Congress the president's senior aides would recommend vetoing
it. (story)
"[The bill] is
inconsistent with the right to the free exercise of religion
as codified by Congress in the Religious Freedom Restoration
Act (RFRA)," the White House said in a statement.
The threatened veto is the
second against LGBT legislation before Congress. The other is
the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act.
That legislation has passed the
House. The Senate version passed as an amendment to a
military spending bill. The two versions are now in
conference.
©365Gay.com 2007
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