Equality Caucus praises Senate passage of ENDA

1433 Longworth House Office Building, Washington, D.C. 20515

Date: November 7, 2013 Contact: Brad Jacklin, (202) 226-7572

Equality Caucus praises Senate passage of ENDA

WASHINGTON, DC – Today the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus praised the passage of a fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in the U.S. Senate in a bipartisan 64-32 vote. If enacted, ENDA would prohibit discrimination in the workplace on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.

Representative Jared Polis (D-CO) introduced ENDA in the U.S. House of Representatives earlier this year, where it currently has 195 bipartisan cosponsors in the House.

Despite significant progress for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people and families in recent years there is still no explicit federal law that protects LGBT individuals from employment discrimination. A recent Pew Research study found that discrimination is pervasive in the workplace with one in five LGBT employees being discriminated against on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity. Other studies have found rates of harassment as high as 90 percent for transgender employees.

Currently, only 17 states prohibit employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, while an additional 4 states prohibit discrimination only on the basis of sexual orientation. A majority of Fortune 500 companies already extend workplace protections based on sexual orientation and gender identity. More than seventy percent of Americans support workplace protections for LGBT workers.

With passage in the Senate, the focus is now on the House to take up ENDA. In recent days, the Equality Caucus and supporters of ENDA have been calling on Speaker Boehner to allow the bill to go to the floor for a full vote.

The mission of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus is to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality. The bi-partisan LGBT Equality Caucus is strongly committed to achieving the full enjoyment of human rights for LGBT people in the U.S. and around the world. By serving as a resource for Members of Congress, their staff, and the public on LGBT issues, the Caucus works toward the extension of equal rights, the repeal of discriminatory laws, the elimination of hate-motivated violence, and the improved health and wellbeing for all regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity/expression.