Political Quotes

“tonight I rise to speak on the Employment Nondiscrimination Act and on the Defense of Marriage Act. The Employment Nondiscrimination Act, known as ENDA, is necessary, and I thank very much Senator Kennedy for being so tenacious to get it to the floor and Senator Lieberman for his help and Senator Jeffords. This is a bipartisan bill and it deserves broad bipartisan support. ENDA is necessary because gay men and lesbians face discrimination in hiring, promotions, and pay simply by virtue of their sexual orientation. Some States do offer protection to all the people who are victims of employment discrimination. Unfortunately, 41 States do not. So it seems to me this is a bill we should be proud to support as Republicans and as Democrats. The reach of ENDA is modest. It exempts small business, religious institutions, and the military and explicitly prohibits the adoption of quotas. It places the burden of proof entirely on the person claiming to be the victim of discrimination. I think it is quite instructive to note that ENDA has been endorsed by such blue chip companies as Apple Computer, AT&T, Bankers Trust, Bethlehem Steel, Eastman Kodak, Genentech, Merrill Lynch, Microsoft, Nynex, Pacific Gas & Electric, Pacific Telesis, Polaroid, Prudential Insurance, Quaker Oats, RJR Nabisco, Silicon Graphics, and Xerox.”