POLITICS/GAY STUFF: ENDA: A brief history

This information is coming from Govtrack.us -- the specific website here -- which tracks the activity of Congress.

April 24, 2007
HR 2015 -- proposed by Rep Barney Frank (D-MA) -- it seems to have just evaporated, but includes the protections for gender-identity and expression. It died in committed.

September 27, 2007
HR 3685 -- proposed by Rep. Frank, and cosponsored by Rep. Andrews (D-NJ), Rep. Cohen (D-TN), Rep Filner (D-CA), Rep. Harman (D-CA), Rep. Miller (D-CA), Rep. Pryce (D-OH), Rep. Shays (R-CT), Rep. Schultz (D-FL), Rep. Woolsey (D-CA) -- it was proposed and put into committee.

November 7, 2007
House Amendments 882 & 883 -- accepted, allowing for exemptions for religious institutions and clarifying some language, specifically in regards to the term "marriage."

House Amendment 884 -- by Rep Baldwin (D-WI), the so-called "Baldwin Amendment" -- that was withdrawn the same day.

ENDA PASSES THE HOUSE by a roll call vote of 235-184-14(absent/NV)

Where are we now?
It is in the Senate. Not voted on. Please remember, any additional amendments are going to have to be sent back to the House (I think). We can either leave it the way it is and get it passed or cause a roadblock and stop it from passing. Please remember, the first time this bill was proposed was in 1974 -- the so-called "Gay Rights Bill" -- and we've been trying to pass it ever since.

This is the closest its been in 34 years. We need to let it get through. It will make future changes -- including the addition of gender-identity and expression easier in the future.

So, if you want to do anything, we need to start doing something.

Your Challenge
If you choose to accept it...

1) Call you Senators and urge them to vote for it. For information on how to contact your Senator -- go here to Project VoteSmart (I've been using this website for almost 9 years -- it really is fantastic). And make sure you urge them to vote on ENDA. Clarify that, though you support the original language that has protections for gender-identity and -expression, you still want to see ENDA go through.

1a) While you're at Project VoteSmart, check out to see if your Representative voted yay on ENDA. (Mine did not, btw, Steve Chabot voted NAY.)

2) Go to NoSubstitutes.org, a project of the National Stonewall Democrats, and fill in the form to say that you support the original language of the bill.

3) Call your state governor and urge them to lobby your Senator -- and the President -- to pass ENDA, though you wish there was still gender-identity and -expression protections in the bill. Hell, even call the president. All of the numbers can be easily accessed through Project VoteSmart or any other public information website.

4) Post your progress in the comments section of this blog.

What do you think folks?