From the Office of Senator Kerry

Thursday, June 24, 1999

Washington, D.C. -- U.S. Sen. John Kerry today gave the following statement on the introduction of the "Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 1999":

"Once again, this ENDA legislation gives us the opportunity to send a strong message that all Americans matter, and that no one should suffer discrimination in the workplace.

"We hear a lot from Congress today how we are a country of laws, not men. Let them make good on those words and pass this legislation that ensures that every American civil rights protection.

"I've heard from people in Massachusetts, who have been fired from their jobs for no other reason than they were gay or perceived to be gay. This is wrong. In Massachusetts, the state provides them with legal recourse. It is long overdue for our nation to come together to ease the fear of prejudice in the work place and provide every American with this same protection."

ENDA would extend federal employment protections currently based on race, religion, gender, national origin, age and disability to sexual orientation. The bill would prohibit employers, employment agencies and labor unions from using an individual's sexual orientation as the basis for employment decisions, such as hiring, firing, promotion or compensation.

In 1985 Kerry authored the first federal gay civil right bill. He is an original co-sponsor of ENDA and has sponsored anti-discrimination bills every year that he has been in Congress.