[NEWS RELEASE] THANK YOU, SENATOR NELSON!
THANK YOU, SENATOR NELSON!
Last night, Senator Bill Nelson (D-FL) signed on as a co-sponsor of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA), moving the legislation one step closer to passage in the Senate. ENDA is the federal bill that would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity against employees by employers with 15 or more employees.
Prior to his announcement, Nelson had been one of only three democratic senators, along with Joe Manchin (WV) and Mark Pryor (AR), who had not signed on as co-sponsors of the legislation.
“We are proud to see Senator Nelson standing on the right side of history and standing up for the values of equality and fairness,” said Nadine Smith, CEO of Equality Florida “He is a leader who listens to the facts and has also listened to his heart.
“In a series of meetings with Senator Nelson, he heard firsthand the stories of the harm inflicted on due to discrimination. His sponsorship matters, as others in the Senate, including Republicans, look to his leadership on issues,” added Smith. “Special thanks go to Michael Emanuel Rajner, Legislative Director for the Florida GLBT Democratic Caucus, who worked tirelessly to help move Senator Nelson from quietly sending signals that he would vote for this bill, to cosponsoring it."
In addition to face-to-face meetings with Sen. Nelson, Equality Florida recently mobilized supporters in a Twitterbomb and Thunderclap campaign asking the senator to co-sponsor ENDA.
Nelson’s announcement comes just one day after Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid announced that he would be bringing ENDA up for a vote by Thanksgiving. Thanks to Senator Nelson, the legislation is just three votes away from being able to clear the 60-vote threshold in the Senate.
Equality Florida is calling on everyone to THANK SENATOR NELSON for his support. Here's an easy link to send him a personal message: http://bit.ly/16IDyfZ Or call him directly at (202) 224-5274.
Equality Florida is the largest civil rights organization dedicated to securing full equality for Florida's lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community. www.eqfl.org
Media Contacts:
Sharon Kersten (305) 458-3639 / [email protected]