2007 ENDA Action
For the latest updates, visit our blog, HRC’s Back Story, http://www.hrcbackstory.org/
To view photos of the press conference following the vote click here.
To view a video from the press conference following the vote click here.
To watch a video of HRC President Joe Solmonese commenting on the historic ENDA vote in the U.S. House of Representatives click here.
Employment Non-Discrimination Act Passes in the House
- HRC's press release on ENDA's passage in the House
- Speaker Pelosi's Statement
- Rep. John Lewis' Statement
- LCCR Sign-On Support Letter (PDF)
2007 ENDA News Stories
- An Overdue Step for Equal Justice (The New York Times)
- House approves bill outlawing workplace discrimination against gays (The Herald Tribune)
- House votes for protections for gay workers (The Los Angeles Times)
- House approves ban on job bias against gays (The Dallas Morning News)
- House approves bill banning bias against gays in workplace (San Francisco Chronicle)
- Many in Bay Area call anti-bias measure an act of betrayal (San Francisco Chronicle)
- House Dems approve workplace protections for gays (Phoenix Business Journal)
- Major Civil Rights groups, Labor unions and HRC announce support for ENDA. House vote tomorrow (Americablog.com)
- Poll: 70% of LGBT Community Supports Passing Non-inclusive ENDA (Advocate.com)
- Solidarity On ENDA Trans Inclusion Unravels (365gay.com)
- Civil rights groups send letter to congress supporting ENDA (PageOneQ.com)
- ENDA vote postponed again (Washington Blade)
- ENDA Action Still Promised (Gay City News)
What the Right Wing is Saying About ENDA
"Pray for the defeat of ENDA"
(Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council, October 4, 2007)
FACT: Concerned Women for America, an extreme organization, released an opinion noting GLBT people "suffer from clinical self-delusion":
- "If passed, the bill would grant special employment rights and protected minority status to individuals who define themselves based upon chosen sexual behaviors and others who — among other things — suffer from clinical selfdelusion." (Matt Barber, Policy director, Concerned Women for America)
- "Homosexuals and cross-dressers are a privileged group, not an oppressed minority as activists would have you believe." (Matt Barber, Policy director, Concerned Women for America)
FACT: Additionally, Concerned Women for America said ENDA "legalizes sexual harassment":
- "The bill legalizes sexual harassment. …Female employees would have to endure both systematic sexual harassment and a hostile work environment by being forced to share bathroom facilities with any male employee who got hisjollies from wearing a dress." (Matt Barber, Policy director, Concerned Women for America)
FACT: The Family Research Council, an ultra right wing group, denounced any bill that includes sexual orientation or gender identity:
- "Pray that Christians and businessmen will fully understand the consequences of both of these bills and oppose them. May both fail and, if necessary, may the President be prepared to veto both." (Family Research Council: Prayer Targets, October 10, 2007)
- "No business would be allowed to refuse to hire a homosexual for any reason. If passed, ENDA would place all the power of the federal government in direct opposition to the beliefs of all major faith groups in America regarding the teachings about sexuality." (Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council, October 4, 2007)
FACT: The Family Research Council also demanded its members to "defeat" ENDA and to stop the employment of "homosexuals":
- "ENDA must be ended by people of Christian faith who will no longer allow the homosexuals to trample our rights and freedoms through ever-increasing government discrimination." (Tony Perkins, President, Family Research Council, October 4, 2007)