Blue Mass Group

Reality-based commentary on politics.

ENDA: It’s Time to Call Your Rep!

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{UPDATE:  The vote this week has been delayed, perhaps until next week.  Reasons are unclear, but the House may be gearing up for another SCHIP veto override.  Others say it is because Bush is threatening to veto EDNA should it pass, but I don’t find that a plausible reason for delay.  After all, we’ve assumed all along that he would veto.  IMO his ENDA veto talk is nothing more than the gratuitous tossing of crumbs to the idiot base.}

Important vote this week.  Call your US Rep at 202-224-3121.

For better or for worse, HR 3685 was voted out of the House Education & Labor Committee last week.  HR 3685 is “LGB-ENDA”, a stripped-down version of the Employment Non-discrimination Act that protects people from being fired from a job for being or being perceived to be heterosexual, lesbian, gay or bisexual. 

The major difference between the original ENDA and LGB-ENDA is that the latter lacks any protection for people based on gender identity or expression.  In other words, transgender people, and straight, gay and bi people who don’t fit rigid gender norms can still be fired for that reason alone.

Rep. Tammy Baldwin is introducing an amendment  to LGB-ENDA that would restore employee protections based on gender identity & expression.  Amendment text here (pdf).  Tell your member of Congress to support the Baldwin Amendment. 

Call your US Rep at 202-224-3121.  This number gets you to the Congressional switchboard.  Give the very friendly person answering your zip code, and s/he can connect you to your Rep. You can also find your Rep’s direct dial numbers here.  Tell your member of Congress to support the Baldwin Amendment.

More background on ENDA here.  The Word doc “Transgender People and the Employment Non-Discrimination Act” here.

h/t drjillygirl

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Comments

  1. But if others here are in his district, call him anyway, and give him some love for standing against discrimination.

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    October 22, 2007

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    Dear xxx: 

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    Thank you for your correspondence concerning H.R. 3685, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007 (ENDA).  I appreciate hearing from you on this very important measure.

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    As a co-sponsor of the initial version of ENDA (H.R. 2015), which included provisions extending employment protections for transgender people, I understand your strong feelings on this issue. You may be interested to know that Representative Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) is expected to offer an amendment to H.R. 3685 on the House floor that would restore ENDA’s protections to people discriminated against on the basis of gender identity. Should that amendment be put forward, I would be inclined to vote in favor of it because, like you, I have always believed discrimination of any kind has no place in this country.

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    Again, thank you for contacting me.  Please feel free to do so regarding any matter of concern to you.

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    Sincerely,

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    John F. Tierney
    Member of Congress

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