November 5, 2013
Harry Reid: ENDA Would Pass House if Not For Boehner
Jason St. Amand READ TIME: 1 MIN.
Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said on Tuesday that if the House voted on the Employment Nondiscrimination Act it would pass, adding that the only obstacle in the measure's way is House Speaker John Boehner (R-Ohio), the Huffington Post reports.
On Monday, Boehner made headlines when he reiterated that he would stand against ENDA, a legislation that would end anti-LGBT workplace discrimination.
"The Speaker believes this legislation will increase frivolous litigation and cost American jobs, especially small business jobs," Michael Steel, a spokesman for Boehner, said in a statement.
"I was also stunned when the speaker said today he wasn't even going to bring it up for a vote," Reid said on Tuesday. "Yesterday he said he just didn't like it. Today he said he's not even going to bring it up for a vote. If it came up for a vote in the House, it would pass."
On Monday, the Senate pushed ENDA through its first huge procedural hurdle, signaling that the measure is likely to pass the chamber later this week. But even if it does, Boehner will most likely not bring it up for a vote.
Reid also took to Twitter to call out Boehner, writing: "Speaker Boehner opposes ENDA for fear of frivolous lawsuits? He led a frivolous lawsuit defending DOMA that cost taxpayers over $2 million!"
