Politics
5 Senate Democrats not sponsoring ENDA
Supporters looking for 60 votes as vote expected this summer

Amid renewed attention to the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a total of five Democratic senators have so far declined to co-sponsor the legislation.
During a Pride reception at the White House last week, President Obama gave ENDA a boost when he said “we need to get” the legislation passed. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) broke with tradition when he signed as a co-sponsor of the bill immediately afterward.
Just last week, Sen. Heidi Heitkamp (D-N.D.), a conservative Democrat who voted against expanded background checks for gun sales, signed on as a co-sponsor. The office of Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) confirmed to the Washington Blade on Monday he’ll also sign on in support of the bill.
But five Democrats in the Senate still aren’t co-sponsors of the legislation: Sens. Bill Nelson (D-Fla.), Mark Pryor (D-Ark.), Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.), Jay Rockefeller (D-W.Va.) and Tim Johnson (D-S.D.).
A spokesperson for Sen. Nelson said he is traveling today and unavailable for immediate comment. The other four offices didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
Tico Almeida, president of Freedom to Work, said there’s “simply no valid excuse” for any Democratic senator to withhold their support for ENDA as a full Senate vote on the legislation approaches.
“If any of these senators vote ‘no’ on ENDA, they will betray our American values of fairness and equal opportunity and they will turn their backs on hardworking gay and transgender citizens who simply want a fair shot to hold a job in a really tough economy,” Almeida said.
Four of these Democrats — Nelson, Rockefeller, Johnson, Pryor — voted for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal in 2010. Manchin didn’t vote on the bill, but later said withholding the vote was “wrong.”
Their support could be needed quickly if, as promised by Reid in his Pride statement, the floor vote on ENDA comes up “soon.” Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee Chair Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) is expected to report the legislation out of committee this summer.
Almeida called for action from the Democratic National Committee and the Democratic Senatorial Campaign Committee to persuade these five senators to declare their support for ENDA and make clear a vote in favor of the bill is “a bedrock principle for all Democrats in good standing.”
“It would also be great if President Obama, Vice President Joe Biden, and the White House legislative team got in the game by aggressively lobbying these hold-out Democrats in the weeks and months to come,” Almeida said. “In fact, President Obama could set a good example for the hold-out Democrats by signing his long overdue executive order, which is not ‘hypothetical’ no matter what some staffers want to pretend.”
Notably, Sen. Mary Landrieu (D-La.) is an ENDA co-sponsor even though she’s one of three U.S. Senate Democrats who have not come out in support of marriage equality. The other two are Manchin and Pryor.
Assuming all 54 senators in the Democratic caucus vote for ENDA, a total of six additional Republicans would be needed for 60 votes to end the likely filibuster of the legislation on the Senate floor. Two Republicans are already co-sponsors: Sens. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Mark Kirk (R-Ill.).
The additional Republicans who are seen as the most likely supporters are Sens. Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), Jeffery Chiesa (R-N.J.), Jeff Flake (R-Ariz.), Richard Burr (R-N.C.) and Dean Heller (R-Nev.).
Portman came out for marriage equality earlier this year after learning his son is gay. During an interview at a Buzzfeed Brews Event in May, Portman said he “totally support[s] the concept” of ENDA, but has concerns about “litigation that could result” and “religious freedom.”
Jeffrey Sadosky, a Portman spokesperson, expressed a similar sentiment on the Ohio Republican’s views on ENDA in an email to the Blade on Monday.
“Senator Portman is strongly opposed to discrimination and is looking at proposals to address it,” Sadosky said. “He is concerned about excessive reliance on litigation as a tool for social change, and will continue to review the most recent version of ENDA.”
Murkowski and Burr were two Republicans who voted for “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell” repeal in 2010. But while Murkowski voted for cloture and to pass the measure, Burr only voted for final passage and withheld his vote for cloture.
Chiesa comes from a traditionally “blue” state that already has a statewide law prohibiting LGBT employment non-discrimination. He hasn’t yet articulated a position on ENDA.
Flake, a relative newcomer to the Senate, is also contender to support ENDA because as U.S. House member, he voted for a version of the legislation that came to the House floor in 2007 (although he also voted for the motion to recommit, which would have killed the bill). Still, Flake recently took an anti-gay position when he said he’d abandon comprehensive immigration reform if a provision for bi-national same-sex couples was included in the bill.
Heller is also a relative newcomer to the Senate, but also in play because he represents a moderate state and twice voted in favor of LGBT-inclusive reauthorization of the Violence Against Women Act.
Gregory Angelo, executive director of Log Cabin Republicans, said his organization has been working to lobby Republicans — moderates and conservatives alike — to support ENDA. He declined to comment on the content of the talks.
“In the realm of lobbying, the Log Cabin Republicans mantra is to leave no stone unturned,” Angelo said. “I’m constantly on the Hill outlining our reasons of support for ENDA, both among Republican members of the Senate and members of the House. This isn’t about going after moderates but about making the case to common-sense conservatives that no one should be fired from their job because they happen to be gay.”
Another issue is the upcoming special election for the U.S. Senate seat in Massachusetts on June 25. The winner of that race will likely vote on ENDA instead of the interim U.S. Sen. William Maurice “Mo” Cowan.
Both candidates have expressed support for the bill. But the Democratic candidate, Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), is a co-sponsor of ENDA in the House. The Republican candidate, Gabriel Gomez, came out in support of ENDA in a statement provided to the Washington Blade by his campaign last week.
Congress
House passes reconciliation with gender-affirming care funding ban
‘Big Beautiful Bill’ now heads to the Senate

The Republican-led U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday voted 215-214 for passage of the “One Big Beautiful Bill Act” reconciliation package, which includes provisions that would prohibit the use of federal funds to support gender-affirming care.
But for an 11th hour revision of the bill late Wednesday night by conservative lawmakers, Medicaid and CHIP would have been restricted only from covering treatments and interventions administered to patients younger than 18.
The legislation would also drop requirements that some health insurers must cover gender-affirming care as an “essential health benefit” and force states that currently mandate such coverage to find it independently. Plans could still offer coverage for transgender care but without the EHB classification patients will likely pay higher out of pocket costs.
To offset the cost of extending tax cuts from 2017 that disproportionately benefited the wealthiest Americans, the reconciliation bill contains significant cuts to spending for federal programs like Medicaid and the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program.
The Human Rights Campaign criticized House Republicans in a press release and statement by the group’s president, Kelley Robinson:
“People in this country want policies and solutions that make life better and expand access to the American Dream. Instead, anti-equality lawmakers voted to give handouts to billionaires built on the backs of hardworking people — with devastating consequences for the LGBTQ+ community.
“If the cuts to programs like Medicaid and SNAP or resources like Planned Parenthood clinics weren’t devastating enough, House Republicans added a last minute provision that expands its attacks on access to best practice health care to transgender adults.
“This cruel addition shows their priorities have never been about lowering costs or expanding health care access–but in targeting people simply for who they are. These lawmakers have abandoned their constituents, and as they head back to their districts, know this: they will hear from us.”
Senate Republicans are expected to pass the bill with the budget reconciliation process, which would allow them to bypass the filibuster and clear the spending package with a simple majority vote.
Changes are expected as the bill will be reviewed and amended by committees, particularly the Finance Committee, and then brought to the floor for debate — though modifications are expected to focus on Medicaid reductions and debate over state and local tax deductions.
Congress
Gerry Connolly dies at 75 after battle with esophageal cancer
Va. congressman fought for LGBTQ rights

Democratic U.S. Rep. Gerry Connolly of Virginia died on Wednesday, according to a statement from his family.
The 75-year-old lawmaker, who served in Congress since 2009, announced last month that he will not seek reelection and would step down from his role as the top Democrat on the powerful U.S. House Oversight Committee because his esophageal cancer had returned.
“We were fortunate to share Gerry with Northern Virginia for nearly 40 years because that was his joy, his purpose, and his passion,” his family said in their statement. “His absence will leave a hole in our hearts, but we are proud that his life’s work will endure for future generations.”
“He looked out for the disadvantaged and voiceless. He always stood up for what is right and just,” they said.
Connolly was memorialized in statements from colleagues and friends including House Democratic Leader Hakeem Jeffries (N.Y.), Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson (La.), former President Joe Biden, and U.S. Rep. Jamie Raskin (D-Md.).
Several highlighted Connolly’s fierce advocacy on behalf of federal workers, who are well represented in his northern Virginia congressional district.
The congressman also supported LGBTQ rights throughout his life and career.
When running for the Fairfax County Board of Supervisors in 1994, he fought the removal of Washington Blade newspapers from libraries. When running in 2008 for the U.S. house seat vacated by Tom Davis, a Republican, Connolly campaigned against the amendment to Virginia’s constitution banning same-sex marriage and civil unions in the state.
In Congress, he supported the repeal of “Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell,” the U.S. Supreme Court’s ruling on marriage equality, the Biden-Harris administration’s rescission of the anti-trans military ban, and the designation within the State Department of a special LGBTQ rights envoy. The congressman also was an original cosponsor of the Equality Act and co-sponsored legislation to repeal parts of the Defense of Marriage Act.
Congress
Marjorie Taylor Greene’s bill to criminalize gender affirming care advances
Judiciary Committee markup slated for Wednesday morning

U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene (R-Ga.)’s “Protect Children’s Innocence Act,” which would criminalize guideline-directed gender affirming health care for minors, will advance to markup in the House Judiciary Committee on Wednesday morning.
Doctors and providers who administer medical treatments for gender dysphoria to patients younger than 18, including hormones and puberty blockers, would be subject to Class 3 felony charges punishable by up to 10 years in prison if the legislation is enacted.
LGBTQ advocates warn conservative lawmakers want to go after families who travel out of state to obtain medical care for their transgender kids that is banned or restricted in the places where they reside, using legislation like Greene’s to expand federal jurisdiction over these decisions. They also point to the medically inaccurate way in which the bill characterizes evidence-based interventions delineated in standards of care for trans and gender diverse youth as “mutilation” or “chemical castration.”
Days into his second term, President Donald Trump signed “Protecting Children from Chemical and Surgical Mutilation,” an executive order declaring that the U.S. would not “fund, sponsor, promote, assist, or support the so-called ‘transition’ of a child from one sex to another, and it will rigorously enforce all laws that prohibit or limit” medical treatments and interventions intended for this purpose.
Greene, who has introduced the bill in years past, noted the president’s endorsement of her bill during his address to the joint session of Congress in March when he said “I want Congress to pass a bill permanently banning and criminalizing sex changes on children and forever ending the lie that any child is trapped in the wrong body.”
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