ENDA Update: Tammy Baldwin To Introduce Amendment To Restore Transgender Protections to ENDA
Filed by: Rebecca Juro
October 16, 2007 10:31 PM
From the United ENDA coalition:
United ENDA Supports Congresswoman Baldwin's newly announced efforts to restore gender identity protections to Employment Non-Discrimination Act
Monday, October 16, 9:45pm
WASHINGTON, DC - Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) announced today that she has secured an agreement from the Democratic leadership to introduce an amendment to H.R. 3685 that would restore gender identity protections to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). The amendment would be considered on the House floor next week, after the bill moves through the House Education and Labor Committee this Thursday. After her announcement, the United ENDA coalition released the following statement:
Two weeks ago, our community was told that gender identity would not be included in any version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. Congressional Leadership expected our community to acquiesce. However, United ENDA effectively communicated the strong opposition of hundreds of organizations and millions of members of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community to leadership's efforts to advance a stripped down version of the bill.
It is because of our unprecedented efforts that new options, such as the proposed amendment by Congresswoman Baldwin, are able to come before Congress. Members of Congress responded to the successful strategy of our coalition and many expressed their strong desire to vote for an inclusive bill that protects all lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.
Clearly, our preferred strategy is to pass the original ENDA (H.R. 2015) out of committee. However, if we are faced with a non-inclusive bill following the committee vote, we will work with Congresswoman Baldwin to repair ENDA to include protections on the basis of gender identity. We appreciate that Congressional leaders like Congresswoman Baldwin continue to share our commitment to pass an inclusive bill, and we expect Speaker Pelosi and the House leadership will actively support the Baldwin amendment.
The wagons are circling...
Mara Keisling is reporting is that what is currently known as the Baldwin Amendment may have another Member's name on it by tomorrow. Tammy Baldwin is really our champion here and we, especially those of us in the trans community, should not forget it. Mara's Daily ENDA Update has more.
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6 Comments
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I said it before but I'll say it again, Tammy Baldwin is my hero!!!
Brynn Craffey | October 17, 2007 4:51 PM
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Am I the only one getting a little confused by all the maneuvering and changes surrounding ENDA?
Bil Browning | October 17, 2007 9:36 PM
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Not hardly, Bil, but I think this is just Congress doing what Congress does...as long as we get the right result in the end, I'm ok with it.
Rebecca Juro | October 17, 2007 11:16 PM
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The release of blame when the inclusive ENDA bill fails. This takes the blame away from Frank and Co.
The hope is people will forget that Frank and Co don't support an inclusive bill.
Call it political slight of hand.
Take care
Sue
Sue Robins | October 18, 2007 3:45 PM
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Tammy Baldwin for GLBT rights. GO Tammy.
Kelli | October 18, 2007 6:34 PM
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I have a different take on this.
From my first comment to my 10/18 WaPo crit post:
It's nice and all that Tammy Baldwin is planning to offer the most-difficult-of-all, stand-alone, can't-get-an-accurate-count-on-now-that-the-whole-traitor-driven-brouhaha-has-so-totally-muddied-the-waters, forced-ill-timed gender-identity add-in amendment when this shows up on the floor BUT she's also planning to vote FOR this abomination of a bill whether or not her amendment passes.
That makes her amendment an asterisk to her WRONG-DOING BOTTOM LINE. Yes, I'll lobby hard for her amendment's passage but I, for one, am not joining the fawning chorus singing her praises.
Marla R. Stevens | October 18, 2007 8:56 PM
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