The bad news is that 218 votes are needed for passage of ENDA in the House, and that's just if you want a very bare majority. There are only 197 probable yes votes now., according to my calculations. (Others in DC have much more optimistic data, but as it's not public, I don't know what it is.) That means unless another 25 come through, no ENDA. No federal law protecting GLBT folks from job discrimination.
The good news, however, is that 50 House Democrats are unconfirmed on ENDA (the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, H.R. 3017). (This link will be continuously updated until ENDA 09 is complete.) I mean "good" in a technical sense, of course. It's bad that 50 members of Congress from the Democratic Party don't have ENDA on their public radar. Very bad.
We can change all that badness into creamy goodness, however. How? It's simple.
Talk to those unconfirmed House Dems. Simple, eh? Who are these miscreants? Click here for their phone numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses. Let me tell you a little more about these 50, and I hope you'll share this with your friends in those states.
I don't mean to suggest that a bunch of emails alone will do the trick. It's very important to meet with your legislators, because a short meeting that creates a human connection is a thousand times more effective. Click here for the "Inclusive ENDA" sign up sheet for meeting with your legislator in your district in August. But emails and phone calls can help too.
Here are the legislators who are unconfirmed on ENDA. Please send a link to this page to your friends in those states where there are unconfirmed legislators. Those legislators want to hear from constituents in their own districts. Calls from other areas of the country are useful, but are not ultimately that persuasive on the issue of how the legislator's constituency feels.
The largest number of unconfirmed Dems are in the state of Pennsylvania, with 6 unconfirmed Democrats. These are Kathy Dahlkemper, Jason Altmire, Christopher P. Carney, Tim Holden, Paul E. Kanjorski and John Murtha. You can click on the links to email them. Some only accept emails from their own constituents.
Virginia also has 5 unconfirmed Democrats: Glenn Nye, Robert C. Scott, Tom Perriello, Rick Boucher , and Gerry Connolly
Next comes Illinois, with 4 (Bobby L. Rush, Dan Lipinski, Debbie Halvorson, and Jerry F. Costello
New York also has 4: Michael E. McMahon, Scott Murphy, Paul D. Tonko, and Dan Maffei.
Texas has 4: Al Green Solomon P. Ortiz Henry Cuellar and Gene Green
There are a bunch of unconfirmed Democrats in other states all over the US. Here they are:
Bobby Bright (AL), Parker Griffith (AL), Vic Snyder (AR), Dennis Cardoza (CA), Sanford Bishop (GA), David Scott (GA), Walt Minnick (ID), Peter Visclosky (IN), Joe Donnelly (IN), Brad Ellsworth (IN), Ben Chandler (KY), Frank Kratovil (MD), Dutch Ruppersburger (MD), Bart Stupak (MI), Mark Schauer (MI), Travis Childers (MS), Bennie Thompson (MS), Dina Titus (NV), Earl Pomeroy (ND), Dan Boren (OK), John Spratt (SC), Stephanie Herseth Sandlin (SD), Alan Mollohan (WV), Ron Kind (WI), and David Obey (WI).
Again, click here for the full list of phone numbers, fax numbers, and email addresses. Please contact these legislators to educate them about why it is important to protect you and your family and friends and fellow citizens from job discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
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5 Comments
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It's PATHETIC that such a publicly supported bill is so short of needed votes.
What can we expect of the Democratic Congress, then, should DOMA and DADT come to a vote?
Lucrece | June 27, 2009 7:27 PM
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Don't lose heart, Lucrece. There are a number of legislators who have declared their support privately to our leaders in DC, but who have not yet come out publicly in support.
Do not curse the darkness, get out there and light a candle under your legislator to declare his or her support!
We must take effective action. Complaining here won't help.
Dr. Jillian T. Weiss | June 27, 2009 9:21 PM
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Parker Griffith voted no on hate crimes and just voted no on the climate bill. I just now wrote him to say there's still time to join America by supporting ENDA, we're waiting for you.
He left the Episcopal church and joined one of those gibbering and drooling churches just before the 2008 election. He called Obama's DOD increaase a cut.
Bottom line: an old White guy from the Deep South. No heart, no brain, no courage.
Rev. Bob | June 28, 2009 6:14 AM
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That's really BAD vote counting on your part. Just off the top of my head I identified at least a dozen of the "unconfirmed" that are sure to vote for ENDA, folks like Bobby Scott, Gerry Connolly, David Obey. To have them on this list is politically inept.
And while you're at it, how about identifying some Republicans as well. ENDA was introduced with bipartisan support and last time around in the House Republicans supplied the margin of victory when sufficient Democrats defected that it would have fallen short on a strictly party line vote.
Bob Roehr | June 28, 2009 10:29 AM
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If you have any evidence that Bobby Scott, Gerry Connolly and David Obey are going to vote for an inclusive ENDA, please provide it and I will gladly change the list.
My goal is to provide accurate information so we can concentrate our efforts effectively.
And while I'm at it, the entire spreadsheet of all US Reps positions, including Republicans, can be found online at the site linked in the first paragraph.
Inept. Huh.
Dr. Jillian T. Weiss | June 28, 2009 10:38 AM
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