Urges Boehner, Walden & Republican Leadership to Bring ENDA to Vote in House
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Andrew Gorry / press [at] dpo [dot] org / (503) 239-8634
Frank Dixon, Chair of the Democratic Party of Oregon, released this statement today in response to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passing the U.S. Senate today.
"Today, the U.S. Senate stood up for the constitutional rights of all Americans, regardless of who they love, to be free from discrimination in the workplace. It's a major step forward for freedom and justice, but there's one left to go—Speaker Boehner and the Republican leadership must let ENDA come to a vote in the House."
"I especially urge Rep. Greg Walden, who supported the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in 2007, to make the same stand today and use his influence—as head of the powerful National Republican Congressional Committee—to bring ENDA to a vote immediately."
Although ENDA is needed to bring equal protection under the law to Americans in over half of all U.S. states, Oregonians have had these protections since 2007, thanks to the Oregon Equality Act.
The Oregon Equality Act was guided to passage in large part by Oregon's then-Speaker of the House, Jeff Merkley. Fittingly, at the request of Sen. Edward Kennedy, Sen. Merkley also introduced the current ENDA legislation in the U.S. Senate.
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