Jeff Merkley

Passage of ENDA would be a major step in the right direction by ensuring that current protections are extended to include sexual orientation and gender identity.

Once you establish a principle of equality under the law, of equal opportunity, people get it, and their behavior changes.

It's probably appropriate to note here that we have received a letter from the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, from the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops, and the General Conference of Seventh-Day Adventists, that I'd…

So, harassment of gay, lesbian, and transgender people are legal in States that do not have protection against discrimination.

This law prohibits discrimination based on sexual orientation in employment, housing, public accommodations and other areas.

In terms of the Fortune 500 companies, if we turned the clock back just 6 years, 360 of the 500 companies provided protection, and now it's up to 425, only 75 that don't--a diminishing number.

Thank goodness you were in a State that did. It's too bad it took so long and interrupted your life.

I think it would be really helpful in terms of seizing an opportunity to make sure everybody has clear guidance.

Thank you, especially, Senator Merkley, for this invitation and for your continued commitment to workplace protections.

It is time for Congress to pass this important civil rights legislation.

I appreciate your taking the baton and moving the ball forward.

Discrimination is simply wrong. This bill takes us a major step towards equality in America.

Thank you very much, Chairman. Thank you for convening this hearing, and thank you for your excellent remarks reviewing the challenges we face, the issues we face, and their importance.

I'd just like to invite anyone else to speak, who has been part of this conversation over the years, on the type of transitions that have occurred between 2002, when we last held a hearing, and 2009.

They have written to, express our support for the religious-exemption language found in section 6, section 3(a)(8) of H.R. 3685, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, being considered by the committee today.

It's about time that we protect all American citizens, giving them both the chance to have a job that they would like to apply for--without discrimination hiring.

All men are created equal, endowed by their creator, with certain inalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness.

Do you think that would benefit your company?

I have proposed creating within that organization a program to provide low cost financing to do energy efficiency retrofits up front.

Thank you very much, Madam Chair.

And finally, I am 13 seconds, one reason why it makes sense not just to use the McKinsey study and invest in efficiencies, but do to cap and trade, is to unleash the creativity of the ideas that will attack carbon dioxide and other global…

The standards set in this bill as an economy-wide cap... affects only a modest number of entities in the United States.

He implemented the CAIR regulation and lowered the sulfur cap by 70 percent.

My belief is this is a very modest target. It is ambitious but easily achievable because there are an abundance of alternatives.

I think of it that way, and then I look at the McKinsey study that you cite in your testimony that says that we could close this entire gap, the 2020 goal, with just energy efficiency.