[Weekly Compilation of Presidential Documents Volume 35, Number 25 (Monday, June 28, 1999)]
[Page 1175]
[Online from the Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]

<R04>
Statement on the Proposed ``Employment Non-Discrimination Act''

June 24, 1999

    Today Members of the House and Senate will reintroduce, on a 
bipartisan basis, the ``Employment Non-Discrimination Act'' (``ENDA''). 
This important civil rights legislation would extend basic employment 
discrimination protections to gay and lesbian Americans. I strongly 
support this bill, and we will work hard for its passage.
    Americans instinctively believe in fairness. They believe that 
individuals should not be denied a job on the basis of something that 
has no relationship to their ability to perform their work. Yet most 
Americans don't know that men and women in 39 States of this Nation may 
be fired from their jobs solely because of their sexual orientation, 
even when it has no bearing on their job performance. Sadly, as 
congressional hearings have documented, this kind of job discrimination 
is not rare.
    Those who face job discrimination based on sexual orientation 
usually have no legal recourse, in either our State or Federal courts. 
This is wrong. Last year I issued an Executive order making permanent a 
long-standing Federal policy against discrimination based on sexual 
orientation in the civilian Federal workplace. I hope that Congress will 
make that policy a national one by passing this important legislation.
    I applaud the bipartisan efforts of Senators Jeffords, Kennedy, and 
Lieberman and Congressmen Shays and Frank to make the ``Employment Non-
Discrimination Act'' the law. ``ENDA'' failed to win passage by only one 
vote when the Senate last considered it. My administration will continue 
to work for its passage until it becomes law.

Note: The statement referred to Executive Order 13087 of May 28, 1999 
(63 FR 30097).