Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, a
Democrat from Nevada, is expected to announce on Monday that he'll
bring up the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) for a vote on the
Senate floor before Thanksgiving.
The
Washington
Blade quoted Reid spokesman Adam Jentleson as saying that
Reid would make the announcement sometime Monday.
The exact timing, Jentleson said,
“remains to be determined based on how votes go this week.” The
vote could take place as early as next week, he added.
“I thank Majority Leader Reid for
committing to bring ENDA to the floor this work period,” Oregon
Senator Jeff Merkley, the bill's champion in the Senate, said in an
emailed statement. “Americans understand that it's time to make
sure our LGBT friends and family are treated fairly and have the same
opportunities. Now it's time for our laws to catch up. People should
be judged at work on their ability to do the job, period.”
ENDA, which seeks to prohibit workplace
discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity,
cleared a Senate committee in July. Three Republicans – Senators
Mark Kirk of Illinois, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Orrin Hatch of
Utah – joined all Democrats in sending the bill to the full Senate.
(Related: Obama
reiterates support for gay protections bill ENDA.)