Washington, D.C. — Today, Winnie Stachelberg, Senior Vice President for External Affairs at the Center for American Progress Action Fund, issued the following statement:
"The Center for American Progress Action Fund applauds the introduction of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the U.S. House of Representatives. Research shows that 44 percent of gay, lesbian, and bisexual people face workplace discrimination, as does an astonishing 47 percent of transgender people. ENDA will help end this discrimination by requiring workplaces to make their hiring and firing decisions based on a person’s ability to get the job done and not irrelevant factors like their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Further, currently a confusing patchwork of state and local nondiscrimination laws is in place in our country, which leaves many workers vulnerable to anti-LGBT discrimination and many businesses confused about what their responsibilities are. A national law like ENDA will bring blanket protections to the nation’s workforce and provide businesses with clear legal guidance and certainty.
We thank Rep. Barney Frank (D-MA) for his leadership on ENDA and we encourage Congress to demonstrate a commitment to fair treatment for all American workers by moving the bill forward as soon as possible."
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