ACTIONS TODAY:
- Join Jillian Weiss's Inclusive ENDA group.
- Sign up for HRC's "No Excuses" campaign.
- Find your lawmakers' contact information.
- Email your Senators right now.
- Have a little coffee (maybe put some Bailey's in it, you earned it!)
That will all take MAYBE 15 minutes, and you'll be good to go. Do it. Then comment about it when you're done.
HERE'S A LITTLE BACKGROUND ABOUT WHY THIS IS SO IMPORTANT!
DADT-repeal is stalled, DOMA isn't going anywhere, Hate Crimes is iffy, UAFA isn't even on anyone's agenda, and Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations (DPBO) is merely a whim.
HOWEVER…
We've got ENDA running in BOTH houses now! The House of Representatives bill already has 150 Co-Sponsors and yesterday, Senators Jeff Merkley (OR-D), Susan Collins (ME-R), Olympia Snowe (ME-R) and Edward M. Kennedy (MA-D) introduced to the Senate the fully inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act to extend Federal employment protections to TBLG Americans! I put the 'T' first because I think it's VERY important to note that this bill is Transgender inclusive, and OUGHT to be so.
The President supports this bill, and has expressed his eagerness in getting in passed so that he can sign it.
Now let's get started people! Before you even read another sentence, go to Facebook and join Jillian Weiss's "INCLUSIVE ENDA" group.
Did you do that? OK, good. Jillian's been doing an amazing job of processing and organizing all of the information about how the bill is going to fare. She's analyzed the stands of all of the Representatives and Senators and has used a very Nate-Silver-y process of picking those Representatives and Senators to focus on. I think it's important that we use smart strategies in the LGBT community—we need to put our energy where it will be most effective, and isolating those lawmakers we are most likely to persuade is key to that. However, if you're lawmaker is not on the list, make sure that you contact them anyway. You never know—enough contacts on a bill will be enough to change even Lindsey Graham's mind!
According to Jillian, There are 30 states with unconfirmed Senators: AK, AL, AR, AZ, CO, DE, FL, GA, IA, ID, IN, KS, KY, LA, MO, MS, MT, NC, ND, NE, NV, OH, OK, SC, SD, TN, TX, UT, WV, WY.
"After adding in all of the current co-sponsors of the Senate version of ENDA," says Weiss, "there are 43 confirmed yes votes. We need another 17 to make it through the Senate."
"People in [the 30 states mentioned above] should call and ask for their Senators' support, as well as co-sponsorship of the bill." You can find their contact information at http://bit.ly/45WGMc.
Here in Illinois where we already have an ENDA co-sponsored by then State Senator Barak Obama, Senator Richard Durbin and Senator Roland Burris are co-sponsoring this bill. "Both Senator Burris and Durbin have long histories of supporting fairness and equality," said Rick Garcia, Director of Public Policy for Equality Illinois. "We are grateful to them and we look forward to their leadership in getting ENDA passed."
Why is ENDA important? "In 29 states, you can be fired solely because you're gay – and if you're transgender, that's 38 states," says Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese. "It's outrageous, and it's unacceptable."
If you want to help get this bill passed, you need to meet face-to-face with your lawmakers. Please sign up for HRC's "No Excuses" campaign. HRC will help you set up a meeting with your lawmakers to encourage them to support this bill. You can email your Senators right now about ENDA by following this link.
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