It’s finally happened. ENDA, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, has finally passed in the Senate and will be sent on to the House of Representatives.

The Senate passed the historic bill last night with a vote of 64-32, which is a surprising margin, considering Republicans have long opposed the bill. ENDA was shot down back in 1996 and has not been approved for re-evaluation since that time.

Gay Rights Victory

This is a major victory for gay rights advocates, as the bills is specifically designed to protect gays, lesbians, trans-sexuals, and bisexuals from harassment and discrimination in the workplace. The bill was staunchly opposed by Republicans, like Orrin Hatch, a Republican Senator from Utah, until the verbiage was reworded to allow religious organizations to be exempt. Had this wording not been changed, religious organizations could potentially be forced to hire someone who lived a lifestyle the organization itself opposed.

On To The Next Battle

Now that the Senate has finally approved the bill, with all 55 members of the Democratic party adding their stamp of approval, it will be sent to the Republican controlled House of Representative. House Speaker John Boehner has made his opinion of the bill very well known, saying he opposes the legislation. Democrats may meet with strong opposition from Boehner on getting the bill voted on in the House, as he may not allow it to be brought to a vote.

Boehner has presented arguments against the bill that include the possibility of creating expensive lawsuits. Other conservative groups have denounced the bill as being anti-family, as many religious organizations support the one man – one woman family unit.

Earlier Victories For Gay Rights

Advocates for gay rights have already won a string of victories in the last few years, with 14 states now recognizing gay marriage as being legal. Illinois will not be long in becoming the 15th state to join this group. Also, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that federal benefits would apply to same-sex married couples.

Backup Plan For Advocates

If the House of Representatives is locked down by the Republicans, and fails to take action on the bill, then there could be heavy pressure on the president to take executive action. Advocates may as Obama to issue executive orders that will ban all workplace discrimination against gays by government contractors.

Will the bill be allowed to pass in the House? Tell us what you think in the comments below.