The Human Rights Campaign on June 27th applauded the introduction of
a resolution sponsored by Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., that would
prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation in Senate
offices.
"The Senate should make a strong, unequivocal stand against
discrimination and pass this resolution without delay," said HRC Political
Director Winnie Stachelberg. "There are already many federal agencies that
prohibit discrimination, and a majority of Senators have already adopted
non-discrimination policies that include sexual orientation for their
personal offices. It is clearly time for the entire Senate to do the right
thing and lead this nation by example."
The resolution, if passed, would add sexual orientation to race,
color, religion, sex, national origin, age or state of physical handicap, in
the anti-discrimination section of the Senate's Standing Rules in Employment
Practices. Amending the rule would allow Senate employees who feel they were
discriminated against based on their sexual orientation to seek recourse
with the Senate Ethics Committee. This committee could then investigate a
claim and recommend discipline for any Senate member, officer or employer
found to have violated the rule.
Currently, 13 cabinet level agencies, the General Accounting Office,
the Office of Personnel Management and the White House already have issued
policy statements forbidding discrimination based on sexual orientation. In
the Senate, 68 senators – 44 Democrats, 23 Republicans and 1 Independent –
have written policies for their congressional offices indicating sexual
orientation is not a factor in their employment decisions.
The resolution currently has 41 cosponsors – 36 Democrats, 1 Independent
and 4 Republicans including, Sens.' Bob Torricelli, D-N.J.; Russell
Feingold, D-Wis.; Mark Dayton, D-Minn.; Debbie Stabenow, D-Mich.; Dick
Durbin, D-Ill., Edward M. Kennedy, D-Mass.; Maria Cantwell, D-Wash.; Patrick
Leahy, D-Vt.; Ron Wyden, D-Ore.; Barbara Boxer, D-Calif.; Jack Reed D-R.I.;
Daniel Akaka, D-Hawaii; Tom Harkin, D-Iowa; Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y.; Harry
Reid, D-Nev.; Patty Murray, D-Wash.; Jon Corzine, D-N.J.; Jeff Bingaman,
D-N.M.; Barbara Mikulski, D-Md.; Evan Bayh, D-Ind.; Carl Levin, D-Mich.;
Paul Wellstone, D-Minn.; Arlen Specter, R-Pa.; John Kerry, D- Mass.; Joseph
Lieberman, D-Conn.; Marry Landrieu, D-La.; John Edwards, D-N.C.; Joseph
Biden, D-Del.; Charles Schumer, D-N.Y.; Lincoln Chafee, R-R.I.; Paul
Sarbanes, D-Md.; Herb Kohl, D-Wis.; Jean Carnahan, D-Mo.; Christopher Dodd,
D-Conn.; Susan Collins, R-Maine; Thomas Carper, D-Dele.; Bill Nelson, D-Fl.;
Tom Daschle, D-S.D; James Jeffords, I-Vt. and Gordon Smith, R-Ore.
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