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Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I ask unanimous consent that the order for the quorum call be rescinded.
The PRESIDING OFFICER. Without objection, it is so ordered.
Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I come to the floor today in support of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, also known as ENDA.
For my State it has been quite a year for equality. Last November we were the first State in the country to defeat a constitutional amendment banning marriage equality. Up to that point those amendments had passed. Then, just a few months later, earlier this year, Minnesota became the 12th State to allow full marriage equality--the 12th State in the country.
I am proud to represent our State. It has been a true civil rights pioneer. We can go back to the days of Hubert Humphrey, who once stood on this floor, and to his speech to the 1948 Democratic convention where he talked about standing for the people of this country, standing for people with disabilities, standing for the most vulnerable. That is the history of our State.
Before striking down the amendment banning marriage equality, Minnesota was one of the very first States to ban discrimination based on both sexual orientation and gender identity. That happened back in 1993. I would say that 20 years later it is time for the rest of the country to catch up.
That is not to say the country hasn't made great strides towards fairness and equality. I am proud of our progress. Through the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd, Jr., Hate Crimes Prevention Act we have made it a Federal crime to assault someone because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. It wasn't that long ago we were debating the Matthew Shepard bill on this floor. The Presiding Officer had not yet arrived here in the Senate, but I remember we had that debate several times through many years. We came close so many times and finally were able to pass it. That bill was about hate crimes and assault. The fact that we have now reached this level where we are talking about the Employment Non-Discrimination Act is truly a tribute to change in this country--the people of this country pushing for change.
Since the repeal of don't ask, don't tell, our gay and lesbian servicemembers who serve this Nation with honor and distinction can serve openly. That is something else that happened in this Chamber, something else someone predicted would never happen. Just this year, the Supreme Court took a major step towards marriage equality by striking down key parts of the Defense of Marriage Act.
But there is more to be done in our Nation's pursuit of equality. The rest of DOMA needs to be eliminated, and that is why I am a cosponsor of S. 1236, the Respect for Marriage Act. Federal benefits need to be guaranteed for domestic partners of Federal employees in States that haven't yet adopted marriage equality, as my State of Minnesota has, and that is why I am a cosponsor of S. 1529, the Domestic Partnership Benefits and Obligations Act of 2013.
As we discuss policies affecting LGBT Americans, we also need better data. We need to better understand the disparities people experience because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. That is why I am working to strengthen our data collection in these areas. And, of course, we need to pass ENDA--the topic before us today.
The bill before the Senate would be a major step forward for equality. I urge my colleagues to support the Employment Non-Discrimination Act because protections against discrimination in the workplace need to be extended to all Americans, no matter their gender identity or sexual orientation.
Americans have many different views on sexual orientation and gender identity, but I think we can all agree every person deserves to be treated with dignity in the workplace. In 29 States across the country it is still legal to fire someone based on their sexual orientation. In 29 States it is still legal to fire someone because they are gay, and currently there is no Federal law prohibiting this from happening. That is why we need ENDA and why I am a proud cosponsor of this bill.
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act will provide basic and necessary protections against workplace discrimination--protections just like the ones we have had in place in Minnesota since 1993. ENDA will allow all Americans to earn a living without fear that who they are or whom they love will cost them their job.
The law is not intended to give anyone any special treatment. It simply extends Federal employment discrimination protections such as the ones currently provided based on race or religion, and applies those now to sexual orientation and gender identity.
The American people are coming together behind this measure. More than two-thirds of people in this country, Democrats and Republicans alike, support a Federal law protecting LGBT individuals from discrimination in the workplace. The bill has the support of over 200 civil rights, religious, labor, and women's organizations. It upholds and protects religious liberty by exempting houses of worship and religiously affiliated organizations.
Companies and businesses big and small know that discrimination in the workplace hurts their bottom line. That is why, as the Senate chair of the Joint Economic Committee, I released a fact sheet on the economic consequences of workplace discrimination. It is easy to see why businesses are on the side of equality. A majority of the top 50 Fortune 500 companies say prodiversity policies increase profitability.
We have certainly seen that in Minnesota, where General Mills, a major company, came out this last year as a company--and their CEO--against the constitutional amendment that would have banned marriage equality. The CEO of St. Jude's--St. Jude, the company--did the same. The Carlson company--Radisson Hotels--did the same. You could go through a list of a number of large businesses in our States that say no to discrimination and yes to equality.
Why did they do that? I think many of them felt it was the morally right thing to do. But the other reason they did it is because it was good for business. One poll found that 63 percent of small businesses support greater legal protections for LGBT workers. Workplace discrimination, as we know, diminishes workforce morale, lowers productivity, and increases costs due to employee turnover.
In our State we want to attract the best workers. If you cut off a whole bunch of workers and tell them this isn't really a good place to be because we won't let you get married or we are going to discriminate against you, it ends up hurting that State.
The same is true as we look at the global economy. It is true of the world. We want to be a country that welcomes people of all races to our country. We want to be a country that welcomes people of all religions. We want to be a country that welcomes people of different sexual orientations. That cannot be a barrier to entry in our country.
That is another reason, as we look at why this bill is so important--why it is important to business, why it is important to our economy--that we need to get this bill passed. When you treat people fairly and you focus on keeping and getting the best people, it is good for the bottom line.
The diverse coalition coming together in support of this bill reminds me of the people who came together in our State to defeat that divisive marriage amendment and to enact marriage equality. By bringing together civil rights organizations, religious groups, businesses, and Americans from across the Nation--Republicans, Democrats, and Independents--we sent a clear message: Support fairness, support equality.
I hope my Senate colleagues will join me in supporting this important legislation, just as 61 of us did on the vote on Monday evening.
Mr. President, I yield the floor, and I suggest the absence of a quorum.
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Ms. KLOBUCHAR. Mr. President, I also thank the Senators who are gathered here today for their stalwart support. Senator Merkley, whom Senator Murkowski mentioned, from the day he got to the Senate and actually before when he was in Oregon, has been working on this issue; and also Senator Collins for working with Senator Kirk and the leadership and the courage she has shown on nearly every issue that has come before this Chamber; and then Senator Murkowski. I love that she can talk about Alaska's sense of independence and their belief that you treat people well and you don't discriminate against them, and the picture of her in her neighborhood with all the diversity. I think a lot of people in other States don't expect that of Alaska but anyone who has visited there sees it firsthand.
Senator Portman's amendment is a good amendment. The Presiding Officer is the other senator from Ohio. I was going through my Twitter feed while watching the election coverage last night and came across a tweet from Senator Portman's son Will, who is in college. The tweet talked about his dad's vote on ENDA, and it said: Way to go, Dad. So I urge my colleagues or anyone who wants to get a tweet from their own kids or nieces, nephews, or grandkids--who seem to understand a little more quickly than some of our Members here how important it is to treat people fairly--that they too, if they vote with us, can get a tweet from some young person which says: Way to go, Senator.
I yield the floor.
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