Posted on 11/08/2013 2:47:18 PM PST by NYer
WASHINGTON, D.C., November 7, 2013 (LifeSiteNews.com) – This afternoon the Senate approved a bill that could force business owners who adhere to traditional values to hire homosexuals, bisexuals, and those who do not dress in accordance with their biological sex or face litigation.
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passed following a bipartisan 64-32 vote.
Supporters say it would forbid “workplace discrimination” against homosexuals and transgender employees and job-seekers. But critics say, like the HHS mandate, its religious exemption is unduly narrow and would force employers – including Christian schools and nurseries – to violate their consciences.
Its protections for “transgender” workers would allow a biological male who self-identifies as a female to use the company's women's restroom or locker room. It would also allow employees to sue if they believed they had faced “discrimination” on the job, experienced a hostile work environment, or had not received a job because of their sexual preference or cross-dressing habits.
All Senate Democrats voted for its approval except Pennsylvania's Bob Casey, who did not vote.
Ten of the chamber's 45 Republicans also voted yes, including John McCain, Rob Portman, Pat Toomey, and Lisa Murkowski.
Only one senator spoke against ENDA on the Senate floor, Dan Coats of Indiana.
President Obama hailed the bill's speedy passage. “Today’s victory is a tribute to all those who fought for this progress ever since a similar bill was introduced after the Stonewall riots more than three decades ago,” he said, adding that the bill is backed by a number of “corporations” and “faith communities.”
While the bill exempts churches and houses of worship and some affiliated institutions, it does not include many overtly religious nonprofits or business owners. The New York Times called these protections “unduly broad.” But the Becket Fund called the bill's religious exemption “manifestly inadequate."
This morning the Senate adopted, by voice vote, an amendment offered by Republicans Rob Portman and Kelly Ayotte that religious institutions protected by the act would not lose federal funding or other government partnerships if they opposed homosexuality. The Family Research Council's David Christensen, said the amendment did nothing to change the fact that ENDA “removes the ability of non-profits, para-church ministries, and individual business owners to make their own decisions about appropriate conduct in the workplace.”
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid candidly told the homosexual newspaper The Washington Blade that he believed the amendment was merely “an effort by them to have a reason for joining the bill.”
Senators rejected an amendment from Pennsylvania Republican Pat Toomey to apply the bill to businesses “in whole or in substantial part owned, controlled, or managed by a particular religion or by a particular religious corporation, association, or society.” Toomey also supported the final bill.
The bill's broad reach threatens faithful business owners, its critics say. The Catholic bishops conference (USCCB) warned ENDA could “punish” those who hold traditional religious views, including Catholics and evangelicals.
“ENDA would lead to a form of reverse discrimination,” Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said this afternoon. “Anyone who expresses or promotes a view of family or morality that can be interpreted to be a disapproval of homosexual or transgender conduct will be subject to retaliation and discrimination.”
The group referred lawmakers to numerous lawsuits and complaints of alleged “homophobia,” some costing hundreds of thousands of dollars.
The potential to harm business owners convinced House Speaker John Boehner to come out against the bill, saying it will not enjoy a vote in the lower chamber. President Obama has hinted he may sign an executive order including the bill's provisions if it is not adopted into law.
In this afternoon's vote our senators, including one Democrat, did not vote today.
Republicans who voted yes include Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Susan Collins of Maine, Jeff Flake of Arizona, Orrin Hatch of Utah, Dean Heller of Nevada, Mark Kirk of Illinois, John McCain of Arizona, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Rob Portman of Ohio, and Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.
You may view vote results here.
Ha ha. Graham is oh so conservative in the blink of a two-weeks span. If a gay senator votes against this, you know he's feeling threatened in the next election, as well he should be. We despise him here.
Stuff happens, but that has nothing to do with anything you’re doing here.
Wish I could literally shove these RINO votes down the throats of Rove, Reince Prebus, Geo Will and all the other Elitists...
It is time for a third party for conservatives and let the rinos go to hell with the hated demos who they love and bow down to. I can see why the GOP is a waste of liars and fools who will never understand the dems are there masters.
[We have moved well past liberalism ... to communism. This is why you no longer recognize the GOP.]
Yes indeed. Again, it is time to breakaway from these GOP democrats light and start a real conservative party. We could use the original party platform as the new
-age GOP would not even notice it as they have forgotten all about it.
Was that frustrated sarcasm, or do you wanna put yer money where your mouth is??? ;-)
How many times do you wanted to be stabbed in the back by Republican Senators? How gullible do you have to be to keep believing?
What the hell happened to Pat Toomey??
What happens to every other Republican Senator, sooner or later, they sell out to the left.
I don’t get it. What does the Pink Mafia have on these guys? Is it divorce or their own sexual proclivities?
Remember the Clintons had the FBI files. What does Obama have via the NSA?
Even if an employer keeps their mouth sut, as you suggest....
\
The bill gives power to the freak population to sue ANY business owner over “PERCEIVED’ discrimination.
They can apply for a job which they have ABSOLUTELY no skills to do, and they can then sue the prospective employer over PERCEIVED insults.
It seems to give all the power to the applicant-—and NONE to the employer.
I see even more shutdowns of small businesses—or pulling back & laying off all your employees until YOU are the only employee.
"ENDA would lead to a form of reverse discrimination," Family Research Council President Tony Perkins said this afternoon. "Anyone who expresses or promotes a view of family or morality that can be interpreted to be a disapproval of homosexual or transgender conduct will be subject to retaliation and discrimination." The group referred lawmakers to numerous lawsuits and complaints of alleged "homophobia," some costing hundreds of thousands of dollars. The potential to harm business owners convinced House Speaker John Boehner to come out against the bill, saying it will not enjoy a vote in the lower chamber.
10 Republicans voted for it. . .
Ayotte (R-NH)
Collins (R-ME)
Flake (R-AZ)
Hatch (R-UT)
Heller (R-NV)
Kirk (R-IL)
McCain (R-AZ)
Murkowski (R-AK)
Portman (R-OH)
Toomey (R-PA)
No, Santorum was voted out in 2006. Toomey primaried Arlen Specter.
What are you basing your hypothesis on, in regards to Ted Cruz’s future (potential) caving to the GOPe and moderates in the leadership???
I can see where you are jaded about politicians in general, and you’d be in good company...
If it happens, it happens...I would not dwell on it as yet, he has proven himself at this time to be the thorn in EVERYONE’s ass up there, and THAT is EXACTLY what he said he would do, before he was elected...And it didn’t matter to him one bit who he pisses off in doing so!!!
Where, and who is your dog in this hunt??? I am genuinely curious to know who they may be...For respectful comparison purposes only, and not to flog you personally for that persons transgressions...
BTW, I’m not at all gullible...Cornyn, our senior senator from Texas will not get my support in the future, and I will tell him to his face (if I ever get the chance) that he is wrong and needs to bow out of that seat at his earliest convienience (I’d like to see him primaried out this next cycle, and I will work diligently for a suitable conservative to replace him)...No one I know trusts him anymore to do what is good for this country, and not to do things to justify his and others continued existance as representatives of their districts...
What more do you expect someone to do incases like this...We have not reached the ultimate rebellious social and economic condition to warrant running them out on a rail, quite yet...But like you, I believe we are getting very close to that condition...
I want to hear what you think...
The trial lawyers will love this bill. When is the business community going to realize that each of these “civil rights” bills end up with more law suits against businesses and more government bureacrats writing endless regulations that bedevil businesses every day.
What were Toomey’s position on the moral issues?
There will have to be a men’s room, a women’s room, a room for men who dress like women, a room for women who dress like men, a room for men who are in the process of becoming women and a room for women who are in the process of becoming men.
G-gay
B-bisexual
L-lesbian
T-transexual
Can’t leave anybody out.
Sure many of us supported Toomey. It's because he was much better than his opponent. Just because he did not turn out as well as we hoped, is no reason to trash Sen. Cruz, as a few have done. That is stupid.
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