As the time grows near for the senate vote to break the Republican filibuster against ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act), it appears likely that just enough Republicans will join the Democrats to clear the 60 vote cloture hurdle. Now that passage in the Senate appears likely, Republicans are trying to water it down. Fortunately, my Senator, Jeff Merkley is leading the fight to keep ENDA whole.
As backers of the Employment Non-Discrimation Act hustle to round up extra support before an expected vote Monday evening, there are murmurs that the bill would be more palatable to Republican senators if it didn’t include protections for transgender individuals.
Sen. Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), for example, stated last week that he would only consider supporting a bill that was not fully inclusive.
But Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), the leader of the effort to pass ENDA in the Senate and the man who introduced the legislation in the current Congress, said that’s not happening.
"I have fought for fully inclusive legislation in Oregon. I knew that fully inclusive legislation had worked very well in the states that had adopted it, and I thought it would just be wrong to leave any particular group behind on this," he told The Huffington Post in an interview.
ENDA would make it illegal to discriminate against someone on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. It is already illegal to discriminate on the basis of race, color, sex, nationality, religion, age or disability… [emphasis added]
Inserted from <Huffington Post>
I could not be more proud of my Senator, or more pleased to have worked on his campaign in 2008. He needs all the help[ he can get, because the Koch Brothers have him high on their target list. Because of him and others, Oregon leads the way!
Unfortunately ENDA will likely die in the House without a vote, because Agent Orange, aka Mr. Two Inch, just announced his opposition.
So, Log Cabin Republicans, it’s time move out of those log cabins and dump the party that hates you.
UPDATE: ENDA survived cloture to bring it to the floor.
9 Responses to “Merkley Leads on ENDA”
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Discrimination of any kind is just wrong. I support Sen.Merkley ! I don't live in his State.but I support his views. He is right. Senate passed the Bill with 61 yes votes. House Speaker Boner will try to not put the Bill on the floor for a vote but he will be pushed & pushed hard ! We will see what he ends up doing. ???
Boehner is such a good pseudo-Christian that he will go against the Pope and not allow a vote on ENDA which would ensure equal rights for the LGBT community. He knows in his pickled black heart that Supply-side Jesus doesn't like them and thinks they are not entitled to equal rights under the law.
I love Senator Jeff Merkley and wish every country had a good few dozen like him – and I hope his bill will pass, it is only common sense – what am I saying? That is sure to damn it from the Repuglicon side!!
We're going to Jeff's Campaign Kickoff next Saturday. We're proud to be Event Sponsors. It's also scary since the sponsor level is the most money we've ever spent in a single donation for a political campaign.
Everybody who wants to keep the Senate Democrat (or at least liberal) and take the House away from the rats should shove deep in their pockets and their time to help make it happen.
After all, it's just us mice up against the fat cats. Now where did we put that campaign finance reform?
Wooo Hooo Marva. Major Kudos to you guys!
ENDA – Employment Non-Discrimation Act
Of course I fully support this and Jeff Merkly… 😎
Any discrimination . . . any at all . . . is TOTALLY unacceptable!!!!! I am confident that ENDA will pass in the Senate, but that chickenshit speaker, Boehner, probably won't bring it to the House floor for a vote. He sure does like doing that. I guess it feeds his ego, his need for a sense of power.
Jeff Merkley, hold the line!
Merkley is one of the about 10 Senators I can name off the top of my head that I would keep if I could fire anyone in Congress that I wanted to. Wish I could say the same for the House, but not so much (not so many?)
If I did not reply t your comment in dividually, consider it an auto-Amen. I'm trying to get back to bed.