[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 159 (2013), Part 11]
[Senate]
[Page 16755]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                                  ENDA

  Mrs. SHAHEEN. Mr. President, almost 50 years ago Congress passed the 
Civil Rights Act. This landmark legislation prohibited discrimination 
on the basis of race, ethnicity, religion, and gender in employment, 
housing, and public accommodations. Many of us in the Senate remember 
the passage of that legislation. And many of us, unfortunately, saw 
firsthand the painful examples of legally sanctioned discrimination 
that existed before the Civil Rights Act.
  I grew up in a State where I went to segregated schools. I can 
remember the separate drinking fountains and going to the movie theater 
where if you were an African American you had to sit in the balcony. 
These practices were wrong, and they ended because of the Civil Rights 
Act.
  Well, this week the Senate has the opportunity to extend our national 
quest for equal opportunity for all by passing the Employment Non-
Discrimination Act. This legislation simply prohibits employment 
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
  I am proud to be a cosponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination 
Act, and I give great credit to Jeff Merkley for sponsoring this 
legislation and for pushing for it.
  I was proud as Governor of New Hampshire 16 years ago to sign 
legislation making New Hampshire only the 10th State in the country to 
include sexual orientation in its antidiscrimination laws. That State 
legislation went further than the bill before the Senate this week. It 
not only covered employment, but it covered housing and public 
accommodations as well. At the time, both the New Hampshire Senate and 
House were controlled by Republicans. Yet the bill passed both bodies 
with large bipartisan majorities because it was not seen then as a 
partisan issue.
  Including sexual orientation in New Hampshire's antidiscrimination 
laws was just one more step forward in New Hampshire's long history of 
promoting civil rights. No one in America should be hired or fired 
because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.
  I realize, as we all do, that no law can erase prejudice. Prejudice 
will continue to exist after the Employment Non-Discrimination Act 
becomes law. But that is not the issue. The issue is whether it is 
acceptable as a matter of law in the United States to hire or fire 
someone because of sexual orientation or gender identity.
  When we declared our independence from Great Britain back in 1776, 
our Founders stated:

       We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are 
     created equal. . . .

  Of course, I would add women to that. But equality under the law is 
part of our national creed. We have an opportunity this week to take 
another step forward in advancing equal opportunity for all. Let's pass 
the Employment Non-Discrimination Act with a very strong bipartisan 
majority. I hope we will do that. I hope we will do it this week.
  I yield the floor.
  I suggest the absence of a quorum.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. The clerk will call the roll.
  The assistant legislative clerk proceeded to call the roll.
  Mr. ISAKSON. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order 
for the quorum call be rescinded.
  The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.

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