Wednesday, October 17, 2007

Baldwin offers ENDA Compromise

Lesbian Lawmaker Offers ENDA Compromise
by 365Gay.com Newscenter Staff
Posted: October 17, 2007 - 9:00 am ET
(Washington) The only openly lesbian member of Congress says she will propose an amendment to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to restore gender identity protections.
The removal of protections for trans people from the act, known as ENDA, has split the LGBT community like no other issue in more than a decade.
Rep. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) says she has secured an agreement from the Democratic leadership to introduce the amendment next week on the House floor, after the bill moves through the House Education and Labor Committee on Thursday.
ENDA, was authored by Rep. Barney Frank and originally contained protections for trans people. Earlier this month Frank removed them, saying the legislation which he has been fighting for for most of his political career would not pass as long as it included gender identity.
Republicans and a significant number of Democrats called the term confusing, unenforceable, and could lead to "cross dressers being allowed to teach in schools". (story)
The bill was pulled before it was scheduled to go to committee, rewritten, and submitted again.
Frank last week said once the gay and lesbian portions of the bill were passed he would work to have transsexuals added. Only the Human Rights Campaign supported the tactic.
Nine other major LGBT groups announced their opposition (story) and by the end of the week the number had grown to almost 300.
Friday, at a meeting between HRC, other LGBT groups and Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Pelosi gave assurances that once ENDA becomes law and as soon as there is enough support for amendments adding back in the protections for transsexuals that version would also be presented.
The tactic was acceptable to HRC but rejected by the other major LGBT rights groups.
Baldwin's proposal appears to be acceptable, however, to those groups who formed an umbrella organization called United ENDA.
"Clearly, our preferred strategy is to pass the original ENDA out of committee." the groups said in a joint statement.
"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."
The groups, which includes National Stonewall Democrats, also said they expect Pelosi and the House leadership to "actively support the Baldwin amendment."
Any form of ENDA is likely to meet with opposition at the White House.
The Bush administration has been silent on the legislation, but on another LGBT rights bill - the Matthew Shepard Hate Crime Act - it has threatened a veto.
That measure has passed the House. The Senate version passed as an amendment to a military spending bill. The two versions are now in conference.
The feuding over ENDA comes at a difficult time for Democrats heading into the 2008 election where it is counting on a united LGBT vote.
©365Gay.com 2007

No comments: