Polis Introduces Discharge Petition to Force Vote on ENDA

Press Release

Representative Jared Polis (CO-02) today introduced a discharge petition on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), a bill which would prohibit discrimination against LGBT employees. Currently, a majority of states still allow workplace discrimination against LGBT employees. A discharge petition is a procedure to force a vote on legislation if it receives signatures from the majority of the House of Representatives. This move comes after the House Republican leadership has continued to refuse to hold a vote on this bipartisan bill.

"This is common sense legislation that is supported by a majority of Americans and was passed overwhelmingly by the United States Senate," said Rep. Polis. "The Republicans have been dragging their feet on this bill for too long, allowing workplace discrimination against hardworking LGBT Americans to continue. In our nation that was founded on the notion that with hard work and dedication anyone can get ahead, it is unthinkable that employees can still be fired for who they love or what gender they are. I hope Members from both sides of the aisle will sign this petition and protect all Americans from discrimination in the work place."

ENDA is a bipartisan bill that would ensure that employees are hired, fired, or promoted based on the quality of their work, not who they love or what gender they are. In addition, the discharge petition calls for an amendment clarifying that, where religious freedom and freedom from discrimination appear to collide, ENDA will hold employers to precisely the same standard to which they are held with regard to discrimination based on race, gender, and national origin. This is the same standard set forth in the Civil Rights Act of 1964, and balances religious freedom with the rights of the individual.

ENDA currently has 206 cosponsors in the House and the Senate version passed with 64 votes.

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