U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today issued the following statement after the White House announced that President Obama issued an executive order banning discrimination by federal contractors on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity:
"Today, President Obama issued an executive order banning discrimination by federal contractors on the basis of sexual orientation. The president's action is an important step towards true equality for everyone, regardless of whom they love. Now it's time for the House Majority to bring the bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act to the floor for a vote, and end discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in all workplaces."
The Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) passed the U.S. Senate in November 2013 and currently has 205 bipartisan cosponsors, including Thompson, in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The ENDA would establish basic protections in the workplace to prevent discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. ENDA would provide a basic level of protection against workplace discrimination and would apply to private employers as well as local, state, and federal government employers.
On March 18th, 2014 Thompson joined colleagues in the House and Senate in sending a letter to President Obama urging him to ban federal contractors from engaging in employment discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender Americans. The executive order issued today does what the letter requested.