Lou Chibbard Jr. of Southern Voice Online reports that spokespersons for House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) and Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) are declining to comment on Thursday’s report in TheHill.com that House leadership had decided not to bring the Baldwin amendment up for a vote. The amendment would re-insert protections for gender identity discrimination into the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007. According to Mr. Chibbard:

A coalition of more than 300 gay and transgender groups has stepped up their lobbying campaign against any version of ENDA that does not include trans protections. In a development seen as a further split within the gay rights movement, other activists and bloggers have challenged the United ENDA Coalition, saying it does not represent the sentiment of the majority of the nation’s gay community.

Unconfirmed reports surfaced late this week that support by Pelosi and other House Democratic leaders for a gay-only version of ENDA was wavering and that Democrats were considering withholding any vote on ENDA until 2009. Sources familiar with the debate have said House Democratic leaders were expected to decide whether to hold a vote on ENDA by early next week.

 

• WATCH LIST: Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2007