Congress is Back! Tell Them to Pass ENDA Now!

Dear Friends and Families,

We ended 2009 with a postponed vote on ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) in the U.S. House of Representatives. It’s 2010 and Congress came back into session today. Let’s press the House hard to get this vote scheduled and pass ENDA now!

We’ve waited long enough. Call or e-mail today. ENDA can’t wait, and neither can we!


Call the U.S. Capitol switchboard: (202) 224-3121.
Give your zip code and ask to be connected to your Representative.

Below is a sample message to tell your representative:

My name is _____ and I'm a proud resident of (your city, state). I am calling in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (H.R. 3017), to protect lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) people from job discrimination. LGBT people need to be able to earn a living to support their families and keep their children safe, strong and healthy. Please pass ENDA NOW! I can be reached at _______ (give your phone number and street address). Thank you.

2010 must be our year, and the moment is now. Congress must hear from real families. Please take action. Together, we will pass this bill, this year.

Pass this message along to friends and allies and ask them to call their Representatives today! If you're not sure who your Representative is, follow this link and find out.

Sincerely,

Jennifer Chrisler
Executive Director
Family Equality Council

Study: LGBT People Suffer More Anxiety, Depression In States With Fewer Gay Rights

from LGBT News:

A study in this month’s American Journal of Public Health found that LGBT people in states that don’t have LGBT-inclusive employment or hate crimes protections suffer higher rates of psychiatric conditions such as anxiety disorder, post-traumatic stress disorder and dysthymia (depression).

The study concludes, “Policies that reduce discrimination against gays and lesbians are urgently needed to protect the health and well-being of this population.”

Pass The Employment Non-Discrimination Act NOW!

Stories of Discrimination at the ENDA (Employment Non-Discrimination Act) Hearing

Pennsylvania Senators Co-Sponsor LGBT-Inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act

Today, Equality Advocates Pennsylvania, Pennsylvania’s largest statewide lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) advocacy organization, applauded Pennsylvania Senators Casey and Specter for co-sponsoring an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act(ENDA), which would protect lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender employees from workplace discrimination. The bill, which enjoys bipartisan support in Congress, would add sexual orientation and gender identity to existing federal employment non-discrimination laws. This bill was introduced by Senators Jeff Merkley (OR-D), Susan Collins (ME-R), and Edward M. Kennedy (MA-D).

"Workplace protections for LGBT people are urgently needed and long overdue," said Jake Kaskey, Policy and Outreach Coordinator for Equality Advocates Pennsylvania. “The President has said he is ready to sign this bill. All we need now is for the Senate to act."

Currently, 12 states and more than 100 localities have LGBT-inclusive nondiscrimination protections, covering nearly 40 percent of Americans. And, according to numerous surveys, large majorities of likely voters in the U.S. support federal employment non-discrimination laws to protect LGBT people.

Pennsylvania State Representatives are currently debating House Bill 300, an amendment to the state’s Human Relations Act that would prohibit discrimination against LGBT people in employment, housing, and public accommodations. Earlier this session, House Bill 300 was voted successfully out of the State Government Committee, the first-ever vote this legislation has received in Pennsylvania’s history. Polling from 2007 shows a majority of Pennsylvanians from every ideology, region, political party, and age supporting this type of legislation.

Equality Advocates Pennsylvania continues to work with organizations and individuals across Pennsylvania to not only pass this important federal legislation, but also show the need for a state law that protects all Pennsylvanians from discrimination.


"We urge Congress to take speedy action to put this bill on the President's desk," said Kaskey. "LGBT employees work just as hard and contribute just as much as other workers. They should not have to fear losing their jobs simply because of their sexual orientation or gender identity or expression."

For more information about ENDA or to send an e-mail to Senator Casey and Senator Specter thanking them for co-sponsoring this bill, visit the Equality Advocates Pennsylvania.

Inclusive ENDA Introduced! Urge Your Senators to Support This Crucial Legislation

Senator Jeff Merkley (OR-D) joined by Senators Susan Collins (ME-R), Olympia Snowe (ME-R), and Edward M. Kennedy (MA-D) introduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in an important show of bipartisan support.


This bill, which would extend existing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination to protect people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, is much needed and long overdue.

On June 24, 2009 an inclusive bill was reintroduced in the House by Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) and include co-sponsors IIeana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jared Polis (D-CO), Michael Castle (R-DE), George Miller (D-CA), Mark Kirk (R-IL), John Conyers (D-MI), Todd Platts (R-PA), Robert Andrews (D-NJ), and Leonard Lance (R-NJ). The bill is currently pending before the House of Representatives.

We have a good chance of passing this bill, but we need your help! President Obama has said that he is ready to sign this bill. All we need now is for the Senate to act.

It is essential that you contact your Senators and urge them to support ENDA and ask them to become a co-sponsor. Becoming a co-sponsor shows other members of Congress that your Senator will stand in solidarity with our community, which helps build momentum for the bill’s passage.


Please Take Action ... Call or Email your Senators now!

Talking Points:
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) prohibits employment discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity. ENDA creates express protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people similar to those available under existing federal discrimination laws for other protected classes of workers.

Schedule a Visit!
The August recess is coming up, and it is a perfect time to schedule a meeting with your Representatives and Senators about the importance of ENDA. ENDA could be voted on in the House as early as late September!

Sample meeting request letters and other talking points and resources are available here:

PFLAG’s Bringing the Message Home

Inclusive ENDA Introduced! Ask your Representative to Become a Cosponsor!

In 30 states you can be fired from your job for being lesbian, gay or bisexual.

In 38 states you can be fired from your job for being transgender.

Just think about it: Right now employers in MOST states can take away the livelihood of you, or your friends, or your family members, simply because of who you are. This blatant denial of the rights of LGBT people is an affront to the United States' potential as the standard bearer for equality and a disgrace to every American.


Every single person in the LGBT community has the right to protection from workplace discrimination.

This week, Representative Barney Frank, joined by Reps. Tammy Baldwin and Jared Polis, introduced an inclusive version of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) - which would extend the existing federal law prohibiting employment discrimination to protect people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.

The bill was introduced by a group of bi-partisan Representatives and it is important that we here in Pennsylvania contact our legislators to become cosponsors as well. Becoming a cosponsor shows that the Representative will stand firm with our community and helps build momentum for the bill’s passage.

The Representative for Venango County and a large portion of northwestern and central Pennsylvania is Glenn "GT" Thompson. Contact information for Rep. Thompson HERE.

To learn more and to find out how to contact your representative, check out Equality Advocates Pennsylvania.

Congress needs to hear from all of us, and they need to hear from us now.