NCLR is committed to ending discrimination for all LGBT individuals, which is why we have long supported federal legislation designed to end both state-sanctioned discrimination as well as discrimination by private entities and individuals. Today, more than ever before, federal bills provide a nationwide opportunity to improve the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people. Several such bills are both much-needed and long overdue, including the Uniting American Families Act (UAFA), a federal hate crimes act that covers both sexual orientation and gender identity, an inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), and more. We also support a repeal of discriminatory federal laws, such as the so-called “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” military policy and the anti-LGBT federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), among others.
news & opinion
Press Release
Senate Committee Considers Federal Legislation for Workplace Protections
NCLR: The Employment Non-Discrimination Act Necessary and Overdue for Workers
11.05.09—The National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) commends the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor and Pensions for convening hearings today on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2009 (ENDA), S. 1584. This essential legislation would provide clear federal protection against workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. A similar hearing was held in the U.S. House of Representatives Committee on Education and Labor on September 23, and a full vote is possible before the end of the year.
Opinion
A New Era of LGBT Civil Rights
NCLR's blog: Out for Justice
10.288.09—This is a historic, landmark and emotional victory, yet even as we celebrate it, we acknowledge that it has been wrought from violent loss, from the courage of families who have stood up to tell the stories of their loved ones in courts, in the halls of Congress, and to all those who would listen. Today, I think of the Shepards, the Byrds, the Warrens of West Virginia, the Zapatas of Colorado, the Green family from New York, Sylvia Guerrero, mother of Gwen Araujo from California, and so many more. I remember my friend Tacy Ranta, an activist from Baltimore, Maryland, now gone 10 years. This new law honors them all, for the true purpose of this law is to save lives.
Press Release
President Obama Signs Hate Crimes Bill
NCLR: “Marks the beginning of a new era
of LGBT civil rights"
10.28.09—Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) salutes President Barack Obama for signing the hate crimes bill, now known as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The law gives the Justice Department the authority to fully investigate and prosecute bias-motivated crimes where the victim has been targeted because of actual or perceived race, color, religion, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, or disability.
read the joint statement of 30 LGBT organizations on the passage of hate crimes legislation
Press Release
The National Center for Lesbian Rights Applauds Final Passage of Hate Crimes Bill
10.22.09—Today, the National Center for Lesbian Rights (NCLR) applauds the United States Senate for final passage of the hate crimes bill, now known as the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act. The Department of Defense conference report was approved with the hate crimes bill provisions included by a vote of 68-29. Earlier in the day, Senator Daniel Inouye of Hawaii cast the final affirmative vote on a procedural motion to limit debate that cleared the last hurdle to final passage as an honor to his long service to the Senate. The conference report accompanies H.R.2647, the underlying Department of Defense Authorization bill. The measure now heads to President Obama for his signature
updates from the capitol
Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA)
On August 5, 2009, Senator Jeff Merkley (OR-D) joined by Senators Susan Collins (ME-R), Olympia Snowe (ME-R), and Edward M. Kennedy (MA-D) introduced the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) in an important show of bipartisan support. This bill, which would extend existing federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination to protect people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity, is much needed and long overdue.
An inclusive bill was reintroduced in the House on June 24, 2009. The bill was introduced in the House by Representative Barney Frank (D-MA) and include IIeana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jared Polis (D-CO), Michael Castle (R-DE), George Miller (D-CA), Mark Kirk (R-IL), John Conyers (D-MI), Todd Platts (R-PA), Robert Andrews (D-NJ), and Leonard Lance (R-NJ).
Federal Hate Crimes Bill
In the 111th Congress, Rep. John Conyers introduced the bill in the House of Representatives on April 2, 2009 and Sen. Kennedy introduced a Senate version on April 28, 2009. In the same month, the House of Representatives voted 249 to 175 to add the Hate Crimes Bill, also known as the Local Law Enforcement Hate Crimes Prevention Act, to the 2010 DoD Authorization bill. The bill was then referred to the Senate Judiciary committee, which held a hearing on June 25 and heard testimony from Attorney Genderal Eric Holder on the need to expand the definition of federal hate crimes to cover attacks based on sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or disability.
On July 15, 2009, the Senate echoed the House’s decision by passing S.909, which added the Matthew Shepard Act as an amendment in the DoD Authoriization bill. The Senate approved the full defense bill on July 23.
The House and the Senate versions reconciled their versions of the DoD bill in a conference report and renamed the hate crimes provision “The Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act” to honor another victim of a hate crime, James Byrd, Jr.
On October 8, 2009 the House of Representatives voted on the conference report on the DoD Authorization bill and passed at 281–146. The Senate approved the report, 68-29, on October 22, 2009 and on October 28, President Barack Obama signed the bill into law.
Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA)
On September 15, 2009, the Respect for Marriage Act was introduced in the House by Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Chair of the House Judiciary Subcommittee on the Constitution, Civil Rights and Civil Liberties, Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO). The bill had 87 co-sponsors.
The bill would repeal both sections 2 and 3 of DOMA. Section 2 creates an exception to the full faith and credit clause for married same-sex couples. The Respect for Marriage Act would eliminate that provision, but it would leave each state free to decide whether to recognize marriages of same-sex couples from other states. Section 3 excludes same-sex spouses from all federal benefits and protections, including Social Security survivor benefits, the right to file joint taxes, and the right to petition for permanent residence for a foreign spouse. The Respect for Marriage Act would require that the federal government treat all married couples equally.