"Today, the Senate took a giant step toward the passage of this bill which will be an extraordinary achievement in our nation's efforts to end discrimination. With the support of 61 Senators, this vote to move ENDA forward demonstrates the Senate's readiness to ensure basic human rights for all Americans regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity."
WASHINGTON D.C. November 4, 2013 - In response to today's Senate cloture vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, Rachel Laser, Deputy Director of the Religious Action Center of Reform Judaism, released the following statement:
"We commend the Senate for the bipartisan cloture vote on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA). Today, the Senate took a giant step toward the passage of this bill which will be an extraordinary achievement in our nation's efforts to end discrimination. With broad support, this vote to move ENDA forward demonstrates the Senate's readiness to ensure basic human rights for all Americans regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.
ENDA makes clear that Americans should not be barred from earning a living or denied opportunity in the workplace because of who they are or whom they love. Federal workplace protection for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender individuals is long overdue. The U.S. already prohibits discrimination based on race, sex, religion, national origin, pregnancy and disability; it's past time to include sexual orientation and gender identity among these protected classes.
ENDA fulfills the American promise of equal opportunity and fairness. It also reflects our fundamental Jewish belief that people are created in the image of God, b'tselem elohim, and should thus be treated with dignity. In anticipation of this vote, the Religious Action Center has been instrumental in gathering the support of a broad range of the religious community, including coordinating a letter to the Senate signed by sixty faith organizations, 11 major national religious traditions and denominations among them.
We look forward to ENDA's continued progress toward enactment and the day when all people are free from discrimination.
