For decades, the proposed Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) has languished in the US C0ngress.

But Iowa Senator Tom Harkin on Tuesday (12 February) promised at least a vote for that ENDA, which would establish protections nationally to prevent employers from discriminating against an employee because of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Harkin made the pledge at an event held at the Center for American Progress in Washington DC saying that ENDA ‘will move this year.’

Harkin has the clout to push for at least a committee vote on ENDA because he is chairman of the Senate Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) Committee.

Last June, President Barack Obama called on Congress to pass a fully inclusive ENDA, which it failed to do. As part of his first presidential campaign, Obama had pledged to extend workplace protections to all LGBT individuals employed by federal contractors.

The bill’s failure to pass in Congress has some advocates believing the only route is for Obama to sign an executive order. But the White House has said it prefers a legislative approach similar to the ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’ repeal.

On Monday (11 February), the civil rights organization GetEQUAL staged a demonstration on the south side of the White House complaining that Obama ‘has yet to deliver any policy to protect these vulnerable employees, who can be fired in over half the states in the country based simply on their sexual identity, and 39 states based on their gender identity or expression.’

There is hope among the activists that Obama will mention ENDA when he delivers that State of the Union address tonight (12 February).