News

Gay Americans Are Not "Doing Fine" Without ENDA

June 11, 2012

(Washington, DC) - This week's Senate hearing on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act ("ENDA") will demonstrate support for workplace protections among Republicans and the business community and address the need for ENDA in today's economy.

"The freedom to work should be one of the gay community's top federal priorities. Log Cabin Republicans have not forgotten that many gay Americans - 4.3 million in 29 states - still fear for their jobs for reasons beyond a lackluster economy and need ENDA," said Christian Berle, Log Cabin Republicans Deputy Executive Director. "Log Cabin Republicans appreciate the leadership of Senators Susan Collins (R-ME), Mark Kirk (R-IL) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME) as the Senate considers this vital legislation. This is a bill that many Republicans can and will get behind. Polls show that 62 percent of Republicans and 74 percent of independents support legislation prohibiting employment discrimination based on sexual orientation, and ENDA has been carefully crafted to include clear exemptions for religious organizations. Major corporations like General Mills support this legislation as a matter of basic fairness and essential to providing clarity for American employers. Passing ENDA is good for business, good politics, and it's the right thing to do."