A Senate committee next week will vote
on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), which would prohibit
employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and
gender identity.
Senator Tom Harkin, chair of the Senate
Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee (HELP), announced on
Tuesday that the committee will hold a markup of the proposed
legislation.
The bill is sponsored in the Senate by
Senators Jeff Merkley, a Democrat from Oregon, and Mark Kirk, a
Republican from Illinois.
“This marks the first time a fully
inclusive ENDA will ever be marked up in front of the U.S. Senate and
is a historic step forward for equal protection,” Merkley said in a
statement. “I thank Chairman Harkin for scheduling a markup of
this critical legislation. Americans understand that it's time to
make sure our LGBT friends and family are treated fairly and have the
same opportunities as all Americans. Now it's time for our laws to
catch up. People should be judged at work on their ability to do the
job, period.”
The bill is expected to fare well in
the committee, which is packed with co-sponsors.