110 House members are calling on
President Barack Obama to sign an executive order prohibiting
workplace discrimination against gay, bisexual and transgender
Americans by federal contractors.
“It is unacceptable that it remains
legal to fire or refuse to hire someone based on his or her sexual
orientation or gender identity,” the lawmakers wrote in a letter to
Obama. “Federal law continues to allow this and discrimination
based on sexual orientation is legal in 29 states and discrimination
because of gender identity is legal in 34 states. Action at the
federal level can put a stop to these unfair and discriminatory
workplace practices in every state.”
The lawmakers said they remain
committed to passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA),
a bill which seeks to ban such discrimination but whose likelihood of
passage in the Republican-controlled House appears unlikely.
“[Y]ou can take action today to help
prevent these types of unfair labor practices and to lay the
groundwork for passage of ENDA.”
Last year, Obama decided against
signing such an order and called on Congress to approve ENDA.
(Read
the entire letter, organized by Democratic Congressmen Frank Pallone,
Jr. and Jared Polis.)