ENDA ? (Employment Non-Discrimination Act)

[Mizzou]

CALL TO ACTION: Non-trans inclusive ENDA? No way!

September 27, 2007

From the National Gay & Lesbian Task Force:

A NON-TRANSGENDER INCLUSIVE ENDA? NO WAY!

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SUMMARY:
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Representatives are considering removing transgender people from ENDA
(Employment Non-Discrimination Act).

Scroll to the end of this email to see how you can contact the
Representatives involved with ENDA and tell them you want transgender
workers to be protected as well!

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WHAT IS "ENDA" AND WHAT WOULD IT DO?
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The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) would extend fair
employment practices under federal law to the lesbian, gay, bisexual,
queer, and transgender community. Based on the principle that all
workers should be judged solely on their merits like other civil
rights laws, ENDA's procedures and remedies are based on those of
Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with
Disabilities Act.

The bill does not apply to military employment, small employers, and
does not require employers to provide domestic partner benefits.

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WHAT'S GOING ON?
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If media reports from the last 24 hours are accurate, it is
unconscionable that congressional leaders may rush to a decision to
strip protections for transgender people from ENDA at the same time as
states across the nation are adding these protections at an
unprecedented pace.

Over the last few days, we have heard rumors swirling around Capitol
Hill about last-minute jitters some Democrats are having about the
gender identity language in ENDA. These were expected, as the language
was new to the bill this year. Rather than immediately abandoning
gender identity at the first sign of nervousness among a few members,
House leadership should have worked with the community to shore up the
needed support, just as they did when they voted to pass
transgender-inclusive hate crimes legislation in the spring.

It is incredibly ironic that today, the same day news is breaking
about the House removing gender identity protections from ENDA, the
Senate just voted 60–39 to allow a voice vote on a
transgender-inclusive hate crimes bill. The bill then immediately
passed.

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WHAT CAN I DO?
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Please take a moment to call these members of Congress and let them
know you want transgender workers protected in ENDA:

Representative Nancy Pelosi, Speaker of the House, 202-225-4965

Representative Barney Frank, chief House sponsor of ENDA, 202-225-5931

Representative George Miller, Chairman, House Education and Labor
Committee, 202-225-2095.

If you can take the time, call your Representative as well.

Find your elected officials:
Congress.org

 

[Mizzou]

update

URGENT – IN LESS THAN 48 HOURS CONGRESS WILL HAVE THE OPPORTUNITY TO ADD PROTECTIONS FOR TRANSGENDER WORKERS IN THE FINAL ENDA.


TELL REP. Clay TO SUPPORT THE BALDWIN AMENDMENT!
Dear J,

I need your help in the next 48 hours.

Congress will vote Wednesday on H.R. 3685, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) plans to offer an amendment to ENDA to add protections based on gender identity.

This amendment is crucial! This is our last chance to get gender identity back into the bill. We need your help right away to make sure your representative supports the amendment. We've called and emailed, but now we're sending faxes to show we mean business.

Send an automatic fax to Rep. Clay in support of the Baldwin amendment to ENDA, to make sure gender identity is included in the bill.

There is not a moment to spare – this is your last chance to speak out on behalf of each and every member of the GLBT community.

Once you've taken action, please forward this message to your friends and family to help us get the word out.

This is a historic vote. For the first time ever, the House of Representatives is poised to vote on employment protections for the GLBT community. Help us make sure every member of the GLBT community is included in those protections.

Fax your representative to support the Baldwin amendment, before the vote happens, and go to HRC.org to follow ENDA's progress through the House this week!

Thank you for all that you do.

Warmly,

Joe Solmonese
President

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