Support the Federal ENDA Bill

Last week, Senator Jeff Merkley (OR-D) joined by Senators Susan Collins (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. Not only will it protect LGBTQ individuals from discrimination or harassment in their workplaces, but ENDA provides security and safety to COLAGErs and families by protecting our parents jobs.
While this bill has a good chance of passing, your help is needed. It is essential that you contact your Senators and urge them to support this bill 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.
President Obama has said that he is ready to sign this bill. All we need now is for the Senate to act.
Please join COLAGE is supporting ENDA by asking your state’s elected officials to sign onto the bill. The August recess is coming up, and it is a perfect time to schedule a meeting with your Representative and Senators about the importance of ENDA. ENDA could be voted on in the House as early as late September!
A series of town hall meetings are scheduled which will allow you to talk about ENDA with your elected officials in your home state. Click HERE to see a list of upcoming town hall events.
If you have a story about how workplace discrimination has impacted you and your family, please contact Meredith Fenton, COLAGE Program Director to learn how you can use your story to build support for ENDA today!