On this page, you will find weekly or bi-weekly updates on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). At the bottom of the page, you will find links where you can find more information about ENDA and how you can help.

November 29, 2007 – Two Transgender Members Quit HRC Business Council Over ENDA
On Tuesday, November 27, two transgender members of the Human Rights Campaign’s Business Council quit over HRC’s support for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which excluded transgender workers. The two members cited HRC’s support for the non-inclusive ENDA and what they called HRC’s “lack of credibility” with the transgender community. Although HRC continues to advocate for a trans-inclusive ENDA in the future, it broke with many other LGBT advocacy organizations in making a strategic decision to support ENDA this session, even without transgender protections. For more details, go to this article in the Advocate: http://www.advocate.com/news_detail_ektid50691.asp

November 16, 2007 – Orthodox Union Commends House for Inclusion of Strong Religious Liberty Protection in Gay Rights Bill
The Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America (OU) issued a statement commending the U.S. House for including religious liberty protections in the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) which was passed on November 7. Nathan Diament, public policy director of the OU, wrote: “We commend Chairman Miller as well as Speaker Pelosi and Representatives Rob Andrews and Barney Frank, who led the ENDA effort, for being responsive to the concerns we and our coalition partners expressed to them about the bill’s impact on religious employers.” The OU did not take a public position for or against ENDA. To read the entire Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America’s statement visit: http://www.ou.org/public_affairs/article/31935

November 10, 2007 – U.S. House votes to protect gay, lesbian workers
On Wednesday, November 7, the U.S. House passed the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. The bill which was passed includes protections for gays, lesbians and bisexuals but not transgender people. The bill will likely be introduced in the Senate early next year, although even if passed by both houses of Congress, it is expected that President Bush will veto the historic legislation. To read a San Francisco Chronicle article about the vote visit www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/11/08/MNURT81HN.DTL

October 25, 2007 – ENDA vote postponed
Voting on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) and an amendment to re-introduce gender identity into the bill was postponed on Wednesday, October 24. A variety of reasons for the delay have been reported, including a need to focus this week on passing the State Children’s Health Insurance Program, known as SCHIP, and to lobby for support for the gender identity amendment. For an overview, read this article in the Southern Voice: http://www.sovo.com/thelatest/thelatest.cfm?blog_id=14896“

October 20, 2007 – A Jewish Perspective on ENDA – By Karen Erlichman
What does Judaism teach us about discrimination in the workplace? How can we respond to the federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) from a spiritual perspective? Karen Erlichman, the director of Jewish Mosaic’s San Francisco Bay Area office, offers some answers in an essay she wrote for the Human Rights Campaign’s Religion and Faith Program.
To read the entire essay click here.

October 20, 2007 – ENDA sent out of House committee
On Thursday, the House Committee on Education and Labor voted to send HR 3685, the latest version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), out of committee. This is the version that includes sexual orientation, but does not include protections based on gender identity (the inclusive bill is HR 2015). However, when the bill reaches the floor of the House next week, Rep. Tammy Baldwin will be introducing an amendment to add gender identity back into ENDA. All the major LGBT advocacy organizations in the country are urging people to contact members of the House to ask them to support Rep. Baldwin’s amendment. Read an Associated Press article about the new developments here: http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jR1evIcthmaDQlB8zuCskcYI5P0A

October 12, 2007 – Employment Non-Discrimination Act Update
As the debate continues between Congressional leaders and LGBT activists over the fate of transgender inclusion in the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), Rep. Barney Frank took to the floor of the House for an hour Wednesday night to deliver an impassioned explanation of his rationale for removing gender identity from the main bill. Meanwhile, the United ENDA campaign organized by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force and focused on keeping gender identity in the bill, now has the backing of nearly 300 national and local advocacy groups including Jewish Mosaic. Congress may take action on ENDA as early as next week. To read selections from Frank’s speech, go to: http://www.edgeboston.com/index.php?ch=news&sc=glbt&sc2=news&sc3=&id=23647

October 4, 2007 – ENDA changes, protests and postponements
Late last week, Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank proposed that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act be split into two separate bills: one that adds language to current federal law prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation, and the other adding gender identity. Rep. Frank decided to split the measure after a preliminary vote count revealed that the original combined bill would not pass due to the trans-inclusive language. This decision, which was made without consulting the leadership of the major national LGBT organizations, has been greeted with anger and frustration. Over 200 local, and national LGBT organizations, including Jewish Mosaic, have signed on to a letter of protest organized by the National Gay and Lesbian Task Force, urging the Congressional leadership to reconsider the removal of transgender inclusion from the main bill. According to an article in the San Francisco Chronicle, these protests have caused the House to postpone the vote on the bill. Read the entire Chronicle article at: http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?f=/c/a/2007/10/02/MN6QSHRA6.DTL

Links and Additional Information

ReligiousTolerance.org

National Gay and Lesbian Task Force

Human Rights Campaign – Timeline of ENDA

Human Rights Campaign – ENDA General Information

Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism – Stance on ENDA