Tuesday, November 05, 2013

House GOP Vows to Kill ENDA

With the Employment Non-Discrimination Act poised to likely pass the U.S. Senate, the GOP controlled House of Representatives led by the foul John Boehner has vowed to kill the legislation.  Never mind that even in Alabama and Mississippi a majority of voters support employment protections for gays.  All that matters in the House is what the hate groups like Family Research Council and similar foul organizations have to say against the bill.  It's ultimately part and parcel with the GOP's long term suicide wish.  I just wish the death would come more quickly.  Here are excerpts from an article that looks at the GOP House effort to keep gays inferior as demanded by their Christofascist masters: 

The path towards the Employment Non-Discrimination Act or ENDA becoming law took one step forward on Monday morning but two steps backward when Speaker of the House John Boehner came out against the measure. The bill, which prohibits workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, was endorsed by Sen. Dean Heller, (R-NV) giving it the 60 votes needed to avoid a filibuster in the Senate. Heller’s support may help ENDA pass the Senate, but Boehner’s opposition dealt a major blow to its chances in the House.
Just minutes after Heller’s office announced that the Nevada Republican was supporting the bill, Boehner came out against the measure. In a statement,  Michael Steel, a Boehner spokesman, said “The Speaker believes this legislation will increase frivolous litigation and cost American jobs, especially small business jobs.”
Boehner’s opposition means it is very unlikely that ENDA will be brought to the House floor for an up-or-down vote, which hurts but doesn’t totally derail the legislation’s chances. Supporters could still attach it as an amendment to a defense-spending bill or even try to use a legislative maneuver called a discharge petition to force a vote, if they can get a majority of the House behind the bill.

The result will be a victory for LGBT advocates who have pushed to pass an anti-discrimination law for decades. But the likely consequence of Boehner’s open opposition will be to make a Senate victory merely symbolic. ENDA’s approval by the Senate will be an important milestone but the bill still needs to pass the House of Representatives to become law.

No comments: