Today the U.S. Senate voted to approve the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a law that prohibits employers from discriminating agaisnt LGBT people in the workforce.
The vote was 64 to 32 with all 55 Democrats voting in favor and several Republicans also casting their vote in favor, including Sen. John McCain (R-Arizona). Georgia Republican Senators Saxby Chambliss and Johnny Isackson do not support ENDA.
Jay Carney, the White House press secretary, is featured in a video released tonight discussing the Employment Non-Discrimination Act being considered in the Senate.
President Barack Obama has come out in full support of the passage of ENDA that would prohibit discrimination of employees based on sexual orientation and gender identity. On Monday, the Senate voted to advance the bill that has languished in Congress for more than a decade and a floor debate is expected this week.
Today the U.S. Senate voted to approve the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a law that prohibits discrimination against LGBT employees in the workforce.
Sixty-one members of the Senate in a bipartisan effort voted to approve the bill that has languished in Congress for some 20 years. The 61-30 vote means ENDA clears the cloture requirement needed for a floor debate and final vote on the bill expected to come later this week.
House Speaker John Boehner, however, has said he is opposed to the legislation meaning it will not likely pass.
With the U.S. Senate expected to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act this week, the bill that would protect LGBT people from being fired from their jobs simply because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender, hit a significant hurdle Monday — House Speaker John Boehner.
"The Speaker believes this legislation will increase frivolous litigation and cost American jobs, especially small business jobs," Boehner spokesman Michael Steel said in a statement, according to a story in Huffington Post.
A vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act could come before Thanksgiving, according to sources in Washington, D.C.
The Washington Blade reports that Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) will announce today that he will bring ENDA to the floor for a vote possibly as soon as next week.
ENDA, a federal bill that would prohibit employers discriminating against employees based on their sexual orientation and gender identity, has languished in Congress for years.