Photo: Todd A. Heywood/MichiganMessenger.com

Many thanks to Karen Ocamb at LGBT POV for this, so you can see verbatim how House Speaker Nancy Pelosi refuses to answer a direct question about a vote on ENDA, and puts the responsibility on the community to educate the trans-ignorant members of Congress.

Wait – don't we have organizations inside the Beltway for that? WTH have they been doing all this time? They are the ones with access, not us.

Moderator Cheryl Contee:

 A recent poll indicates that a majority of Americans support the passage of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act – ENDA. ENDA now has 198 co-sponsors. While you and President Obama have both been strong advocates for ENDA’s passing, the bill is stuck in committee and promises of passage haven’t been kept. @Dr.TJulianWeiss on Twitter,  MCC on JackandJillpolitics and Perfect Stormer on Daily Kos all want to know will we see passage of ENDA anytime soon?

Speaker Nancy Pelosi

: (she does some thank yous and recognitions first). ENDA has been something that has been part of my being (?) since I went to the Congress. And then some years later, around 16 years ago, we finally had legislation that we could rally around. This is an absolute priority, not only for me personally, but for our House Democratic Caucus.

Under the leadership of George Miller (D-CA), the chairman of the Education and Labor Committee which has primary jurisdiction, we have been working very hard to try to iron out some of the – to have some clarity of language that could dispel some opposition. This is something that has to be done. It’s so long overdue. It’s almost embarrassing to have to have to pass a bill to end discrimination in the workplace.

I am happy, though, that it fits comfortably on the path we set ourselves on. We said we were going to do hate crimes – fully inclusive hate crimes – and we did pass that legislation as Rachel said [during a video], the Matthew Shepard legislation. We’re very proud of that – that it was fully inclusive.

And then next on my agenda was ENDA but there was support to take up Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and we’re very proud that we passed that in the House. I might say that I would have hoped that there would have been a moratorium on any discharges from the military (applause) until it was resolved (? applause makes it hard to hear end).

But I do think that my the time 2010 comes to an end, so does Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. And at the same time, we are holding….I need your help to get the biggest possible vote on ENDA.

All of these issues took time. You know when we started hate crimes – you know that was when I first came to Congress 23 years ago. It wasn’t an issue of “fully inclusive.” Gay, lesbians, bisexuals – but then transgender became an issue and the challenge became greater. Same thing with ENDA.

But we’re against discrimination – against anybody and everybody and our bill will be fully inclusive (applause).

I can’t give you a time. But I can tell you that it is a priority and it had been our hope to do it this year. We have to finish Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell and hopefully we can do both this year.

Moderator:

 Who’s blocking the passage of ENDA and whom should the netroots target?

Pelosi:

 Well, I think I would target in a positive way (audience rumbles) – this is America – show your appreciation for those who are with you, with us – encourage them to be not only a vote but a leader on the issue – persuader, the peer pressure that is there. Because I don’t think – I think that some of the opposition comes from those perhaps in the work, um – in the business community who may not understand the – how this can be practically accomplished. We think it can. I think that should be the least of it, when we’re talking about ending discrimination in our country.

So my advice would be just – let’s get the drum beat going, get everybody as enthused as they have been. We won by 40 votes on Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell. Forty votes! That is a very big – we hardly won anything by four votes, much less 40 votes (laughter) in the (? can’t make it out).

(Shout from GetEqual’s Robin McGehee: “Move on ENDA now!”)

Moderator:

 Hey – I’m going to release the crackin (?), alright, so please don’t’ shout out questions from the audience.

Pelosi:

 No, but it is – your impatience is justified. Let’s make it productive so that we can all work together and strengthen each other as – to get this passed as soon as possible. Very important. (Applause)

Moderator:

 Thank you.

Moderator:

 Thank you, Speaker.

Pelosi: I love ENDA. I feel a little pride of being there at the start of all that. Barney Frank, Tammy Baldwin and now Jared Polis, who is going to be here, I understand this weekend – have been an important part of all this.