ENDA [Employment Non-Discrimination Act]/HCPA [Hate Crime Prevention Act]/State of the Union

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3 Ending Discrimination Against Gays and Lesbians in the Federal Civilian Workforce President Clinton issued an Executive Order prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation in the Federal civilian workforce. This makes the Federal Government the largest employer in the world (1.8 million civilian employees) with a non-discrimination policy covering sexual orientation. The Federal government recently released a guidebook on this non-discrimination policy for its employees and personnel managers. And the President, working with a bipartisan coalition in the House of Representatives, successfully defeated an attempt to overturn the policy. The President also issued an Executive Order mandating that security clearances no longer be denied based on sexual orientation. Endorsing Legislation that Outlaws Discrimination in the Workplace. President Clinton said in his 1999 State of the Union Address, "I ask Congress to make the Employment Non-Discrimination Act. the law of the land." President Clinton and Vice President Gore endorsed and continue to fight for passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, a bill outlawing discrimination in hiring, firing and promotions based on sexual orientation. This makes them the first U.S. President and Vice President ever to back civil rights legislation for gays and lesbians. The legislation would ban discrimination based on sexual orientation in the workplace, extending basic employment protections to gay and lesbian Americans.