On April 1, 2011, we noted that Congressman Frank was set to introduce H.R. 1397 in the House — a bill known as ENDA (“the Employment Non-Discrimination Act”), which would bar discrimination in employment based on sexual orientation or gender identity. He did, and found 111 co-sponsors for the bill. We noted that then Acting EEOC Chairman Stuart J. Ishimaru said that the bill is “sorely needed” and “long overdue.”
Now, The Idaho Agenda of March 15th has commented that since Republican-controlled House action is unlikely, LGBT groups are pressing for ENDA to get through a Senate committee and onto the Senate floor for full debate.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) is the chief sponsor of the bill, and, remarkably, there are three Republican sponsors — Sen. Mark Kirk (R-Ill.), Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine), and Sen. Olympia Snowe (R-Maine).