June 12, 2012
| The Honorable Tom Harkin Chairman U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor and Pensions 428 Senate Dirksen Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 |
The Honorable Michael Enzi Ranking Member U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education Labor and Pensions 428 Senate Dirksen Office Building Washington, D.C. 20510 |
Dear Chairman Harkin and Ranking Member Enzi:
Thank you for holding today’s hearing on the bipartisan Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) (S. 811). I write to you today as the President of Interfaith Alliance to express strong support for this important legislation. As a national organization whose more than 185,000 members are committed to religious freedom, championing individual rights, and promoting policies that protect both religion and democracy, ENDA is a crucial part of our work protecting faith and freedom.
Protecting the religious freedom of all Americans is of our utmost concern. We also believe a vibrant democracy guarantees the protection of civil rights for everyone with no exceptions made because of an individual’s sexual orientation or gender identity. It is for these reasons that Interfaith Alliance is working hard to get passed an ENDA that is both fully inclusive and contains a religious exemption provision to protect the constitutional rights of all.
Despite what opponents may contend, the truth is that ENDA would not create new or special rights, or violate the religious freedom of those whose religious beliefs condemn the LGBT community. Modeled after existing laws such as the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act, ENDA simply ensures that all Americans can enjoy the rights guaranteed to them by the Constitution. This legislation will simultaneously protect employers’ First Amendment religious freedom rights, while ensuring employees are treated with the respect and equality that is mandated by our faiths and our American values.
As our nation continues to face daily challenges that divide the American public, there is an increasing need to work together on issues of mutual concern. The Employment Non-Discrimination Act ensures liberty and it ensures equality. It abides by the values taught by the diverse faith traditions in this great nation; and, perhaps most importantly, it ensures justice by guaranteeing the human dignity due to all Americans and provided for by the Constitution of the United States of America.
Passage of a fully inclusive ENDA with an appropriate religious exemption will be a victory for democracy and cause for celebration among all who value religious freedom. For more than a decade, Interfaith Alliance has worked to see ENDA become a reality—it’s time to get this done.
Thank you again for devoting the Committee’s time to this important issue.
Sincerely,
Rev. Dr. C. Welton Gaddy
President
Interfaith Alliance is a network of people of diverse faiths and beliefs from across the country working together to build a resilient democracy and fulfill America’s promise of religious freedom and civil rights not just for some, but for all. We mobilize powerful coalitions to challenge Christian nationalism and religious extremism, while fostering a better understanding of the healthy boundaries between religion and government. We advocate at all levels of government for an equitable and just America where the freedoms of belief and religious practice are protected, and where all persons are treated with dignity and have the opportunity to thrive. For more information visit interfaithalliance.org.