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ENDA? Hurry Up And Wait!

Monday, June 14, 2010 04:02 AM

tags: Barack Obama, Don't Ask Don't Tell, ENDA, Nancy Pelosi

Speaker Nancy Pelosi dropped the bomb on ENDA (the Employment Non-Discrimination Act) over the weekend and announced that despite all the talk there will be NO movement on ENDA in the House until the Senate votes on the “compromise” repeal of DADT, effectively killing any chance of ENDA passing this year. “One thing at a time” Pelosi told the Washington Blade. Anyone that was hoping our congressional leaders could actually walk and chew gum at the same time when it comes to LGBT issues are going to be very disappointed. And as many advocates for a true repeal of the Don’t Ask Don’t Tell policy fear, by the time Congress decides to finally act, Democrats may no longer be in control of the House or Senate, or have the power to put legislation up for a vote. The “compromise” repeal of DADT lacks a set date for repeal as well as a nondiscrimination clause, and is not expected to even be finalized until sometime next year - while elections for the House and Senate are set for this November.

Sadly, if you happen to live in one of the 31 states where it is still legal to be fired from your job simply for being gay, the “fierce urgency of now” seems to have devolved into the fierce urgency of “maybe next time.”