House Committee Holds Hearing on ENDA; Floor Vote Expected Soon

The House Committee on Education and Labor’s subcommittee on Health, Employment, Labor, and Pensions held a hearing on September 5 on “The Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007” (H.R. 2015). ENDA would address discrimination in the workplace by making it illegal to fire, refuse to hire or refuse to promote employees simply based on a person’s sexual orientation or gender identity.

Testifying at the hearing, along with their witness statements, were:

• • Congressman Barney Frank (D-MA)

• • Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) (p. 7)

• • Congressman Emanuel Cleaver (D-MO)

• • Michael Carney, Police Officer, Springfield, Massachusetts (p. 21)

• • Brooke Waits, Dallas, Texas (p. 29)

• • Mark Fahleson, Attorney, Rembolt Ludtke LLP, Lincoln, Nebraska (p. 42)

• • Lee Badgett, Research Director, Williams Institute at UCLA School of Law, Los Angeles, California (p. 38)

• • Helen Norton, Associate Professor of Law, University of Colorado School of Law, Boulder Colorado (p. 47)

• • Nancy Kramer, Founder and CEO, Resource Interactive, Columbus, Ohio (p. 25)

• • Kelly Baker, Vice President of Diversity, General Mills Inc., Minneapolis, Minnesota (p. 30)

• • Larry Lorber, Partner, Proskauer Rose, Washington DC

Experts predict the bill will be voted out of committee soon and sent to the House floor for a vote towards the end of September or early October. Advocates and some lawmakers say they expect the measure will win approval in the House, but will face a tougher time in the Senate.

by Patricia A. Schaeffer, Vice President-Regulatory Affairs