Last spring, Congressman Barney Frank introduced HR 2015, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which prevents employers from discriminating against workers based on sexual orientation or gender identity. After much discussion, House leadership determined that Congress did not have the political will to pass HR 2015, and has decided to move forward with a narrower ENDA bill, HR 3685, that prevents discrimination based only on sexual orientation. While it is not the inclusive bill we wanted, if passed by the House, HR 3685 would be the largest and most prominent step Congress has ever taken in protecting gay rights.
While the bill Congress is set to vote on a non-inclusive ENDA is not what we wanted, the Human Rights Campaign decided to stay at the table with Congress to fight for the best bill possible, and because passage of this legislation is a first and absolutely necessary step toward preventing discrimination based on gender identity.
Throughout this entire struggle, the Human Rights Campaign has been guided by the principle of equality for all. We’ve also been guided by the need to navigate potential roadblocks in order to achieve that equality and we’ve tried not to get ourselves boxed into a corner -- especially if that corner opposes progress.
We believe that staying at the table and negotiating in support of the best possible bill is better than simply walking away. It isn’t right and it’s a disappointing reality of how politics works but if we are going to win we can’t ever be disillusioned by letting the perfect get in the way of the good. But, without a doubt, the only path to achieving a bill protecting our whole community is by achieving a successful House vote tomorrow. A defeat of ENDA tomorrow would set back the possibility of an inclusive bill for many, many years.
Moral and principled advocates for equality can disagree on strategies but we should never question each others commitment to the common goal of equality we all share. We hope that our partners in the ongoing fight for equality will join with us in this step forward and not seek to divide us.
The Family Research Council, Traditional Values Coalition and their allies would like nothing more than for our movement to fail, and for ENDA to die in this Congress. To stand idly by and let that happen would constitute ceding ground.
Once it was clear that HR 3685 was heading to the House floor for debate and a vote, HRC joined the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights (LCCR) and other civil rights groups on a letter asking Members of Congress to vote for H.R. 3685. All of these groups agree, defeat of a major civil rights bill on the House floor would set back the movement many years.
Last night the bill was reported out of the Rules Committee. As of now, all indicators suggest that the ENDA will brought to the House floor for debate and a vote on Wednesday.
Pam's House Blend has the gory details.
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