ENDA 2009 HR 3017 / S. 1584 Conference Call Update
Back on September 5th we ran an announcement about the Employment Non-Discrimination Act update Conference Call hosted by NCTE. Beck’s Cafe was on that call and while you are hopefully enjoying a lazy Sunday cup of fair trade coffee we thought we’d share some of our notes and thoughts, bullet form, with our readers.
Opening statement by the National Center for Transgender Equality (NCTE)
- NCTE hosted the meeting and it was kicked off by their Executive Director, Mara Kiesling
- The key message of the entire call? Time to get moving. We might actually be able to get the Federal inclusive ENDA bill passed in 2009.
- A Vote may come in the house in the next few weeks and the GLBT community, and particular the transgender group have to show we have the votes to get a vote! Many members have never even talked to a trans-person and don’t know if ENDA is a real issue for THEIR votes [ed: see Beck's Cafe article from June 2009, "Trans Civil Rights Lobby Day: Roundtable with Michelle, Paula & Rebecca" to see a glimpse of just such an exchange.]
So what’s up with ENDA (HR 3017) in the U.S. House of Representatives?
- HR 3017 is the designation for ENDA in our House of Representatives
- The Education and Labor Committee will discuss the bill in September but there is no solid date. Where there is a date they will publicize it
- The hearing will have at least one transgender discrimination victim and one gay discrimination victim
- Various experts on both sides will testify
- After this hearing, the committee will poll the house to see if the votes are there to pass ENDA in the house; if there are, then there will be a vote in 30-45 days!!
- NCTE has hired a new part-time person to help get new sponsors on board for ENDA
- Lots of meetings are happening now but the U.S. Representatives need to hear from us, their constituents! They need to hear “Thank You” if they are supporters and “Pleaes Support Us” if they are not supporters. By communicating with them we let them know we are here [not unlike the Who's strategy in Horton Hear's A Who]
So how about the ENDA (S. 1584) in the U.S. Senate?
- S. 1584 is the designation for ENDA in our Senate
- Kennedy, Snow, Collins, Merkley are all in
- Not on a fast track as the House bill is. Currently it appears that late this year or early Spring 2010 a Senate vote will take place on ENDA
- Mara, “We have to do work here. We really have to step this up big time.”
- Our late Senator Kennedy was the LGBT community’s biggest supporter. He Felt transgender rights were VERY important. He knew that while he was ill and focusing on health care reform he needed to hand the lead on inclusive ENDA to someone he could trust, and so he found the right lead sponsor in Senator Merkley. Senator Merkley in Portland has two bills in his office that protect transgender people from discrimination. He iS GUNG HO supporting the an inclusinve ENDA. He needs the LGBT community to do our work to get ENDA voted in. It’s CRITICAL the entire LGBT community act
- NOW is the time! Our congressmen and women want to listen to us. They want to meet people. They want to meet transgender persons. Maybe your past transition but they want to meet you. Mara shared how Senator Sshumar called NCTE to tell them “Senator Schumar’s office is going to be doing advocacy for transgender people, can you please bring some by so we can meet them” so Mara did just that setting up a special meeting to do so.
- Congress WANTS to hear from us they want to know we are real
Mason Davis of the Transgender Law Center
- The truth is ENDA will not happen without the action and compassion from us to the political folks.
- THIS is the watershed moment for TG people. This will divide our need from what is now to what will be and Mason urged everyone to take ownership of this moment for TG equality
- Be creative, persistent and pro-active in contacting your representatives. Reach out to community leaders, local leaders and let policy makers hear about the importance of ENDA.
John Williams – National Center for Lesbian Rights(NCLR)
- John is the Transgender Equality Organizer for NCLR. He was an intern with Mara at NCTE. He works daily in congress on transgender rights and inclusive ENDA
- Nothing changes the minds of our Senators and Represenatives better than hearing directly from each of us and they want to hear from us
- How do you create connections with those reps?
* Lobby visits are nice and encouraged when you can.
* Meet with the representative or their staff; both count!
* Getting to know the staff personally helps!
* NCTE has created an ENDA specific lobby visit tool [ed: visit NCTE's Resource site and scroll down to the Political Advocacy section to see the links to prepare for a visit]
* Postcards works
* Education events help and inviting congressional staff to such events are helpful too.
* The Task Force has a helpful ENDA Kit too. [ed. - see The Task Force's ENDA Kit by clicking here]
* Writing letters and emails to congress person also is good. NCTE has a link to do that go. The more personal the letter, the bigger the impact…go to your senators web site and write to them right then and there…Tell them WHY ENDA is so important to you and your family.
* Visit member’s web sites and get their DC phone number and call; they want to hear from us and that we’d love their support. - John is available to help you, email him at jwilliams@nclrights.org
Diego Sanchez, Senior Legislative Adviser to Barney Frank
- We believe we have the votes to get this passed in house and senate; we have to be prepared though for those who don’t want this passed
- Jillian Todd Weiss, of the Trans Workplace Blog, has the legislator of the day on her twitter page…take action and call or write that person if they are in your district and not on board
- How do we talk to people who are against ENDA? We can say this is about rights, fairness, and equality. Third Wave language works too … talk about inclusion…this welcome LGBT people into what already exists (or what was lost)
- Expect this BILL to hit the floor and senate THIS YEAR.
- Everyone is back in session in D.C.! All the cafeteria’s are open. Staff and legislators are back. Our issues matter. We aren’t tabling ourselves for other matters. Our lives are important and matter. We are real.
