Frank Says House Passage Of ENDA Likely

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2/20/10-by Paula Brooks
According to Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), the passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act in the House is all but a done deal, but its success in the Senate is not so sure.

In an interview this week with the DC Agenda, Frank said the legislators working on the bill were about to come to agreement before last weeks Snocalypse shut down the federal government.

“We were very close just before we snowed out to basically come to an agreement on a bill that would get a majority vote in the Education & Labor Committee,” he said. (via DC Agenda)

However Frank also still predicts the committee to markup for ENDA will come this month and a floor vote on the bill will be in March but added, that the transgender protections were among the sticking points in negotiations on how to proceed.

“There has always been a problem with the question of people who are transgender in situations where people are totally or partially unclothed,” said Frank.

While expecting movement in the House, Frank said he was less certain about ENDA’s chances in the Senate.

“I’m less sure about that. I think people have often underestimated some of the difficulties,” said Frank.