Jim Jeffords on Civil Rights Independent Jr Senator (VT, retiring 2006)

Sponsored Employment NonDiscrimination Act for gays

ENDA will help put an end to this insidious discrimination by extending to sexual orientation the same federal employment discrimination protections already provided based on race, religion, gender, national origin, age and disability. ENDA will achieve equal rights-not “special rights”-- for gays and lesbians. This legislation prohibits preferential treatment based on sexual orientation. ENDA simply protects a right that should belong to every American, the right to be free from discrimination at work because of personal characteristics unrelated to successful performance on the job.

Continue federal affirmative action programs

Jeffords supports the following principles regarding Affirmative Action:
• The federal government should consider race and sex in making government contracting decisions.
• The federal government should continue affirmative action programs.
• The federal government should utilize merit and qualifications in making government contracting decisions.

Apply hate-crime rules to gender, race, & sexual orientation

Any crime hurts our society, but crimes motivated by hate are especially harmful. Hate crimes not only target individuals, but are also directed to send a message to the community as a whole. The adoption of this amendment would help our state and local authorities in pursuing and prosecuting the perpetrators of hate crimes.

Many states, including my state of Vermont, have already passed strong hate crimes laws. An important principle of this amendment is that it allows for Federal prosecution of hate crimes without impeding the rights of states to prosecute these crimes.“

Oppose Gender-based wage discrimination

Jeffords continued, “One thing is clear, there is no place for discrimination in our workplaces. Our laws must ensure that individual workers are evaluated, promoted and rewarded based on their performance on the job, period.“

”We have made great strides in the fight against workplace discrimination. The enactment of the Civil Rights Act over 30 years ago served to codify this Nation’s commitment to fundamental principles of equal opportunity and fairness in the workplace. It is my hope that the hearing today will point the way to elimination of any pernicious discriminatory pay practices.“

Voted NO on recommending Constitutional ban on flag desecration.

1. the flag of the US is a unique symbol of national unity...
2. the Bill of Rights should not be amended in a manner that could be interpreted to restrict freedom...
3. abuse of the flag causes more than pain and distress... and may amount to fighting words...
4. destruction of the flag of the US can be intended to incite a violent response rather than make a political statement and such conduct is outside the protections afforded by the first amendment to the Constitution.

Proponents of the Resolution say:
• Fifty State legislatures have called on us to pass this amendment. This amendment simply says that "Congress shall have power to prohibit the physical desecration of the flag of the United States."
• In other words, in passing this amendment, we would give to Congress the power that the Supreme Court took away in 1989.
• 48 States had anti-desecration measures on the books before 1989. It was then that five unelected judges told those 48 sovereign entities that they were wrong.

Opponents of the Resolution say:
• I am deeply offended when people burn or otherwise abuse this precious national symbol.
• I also believe that the values and beliefs that the American flag represents are more important than the cloth from which this symbol was created.
• Prominent among these beliefs are the right to voice views that are unpopular, and the right to protest.
• I oppose this amendment not because I condone desecration of our flag, but because I celebrate the values our flag represents. Flag burning is despicable. However, the issue is whether we should amend our great charter document, the Constitution, to proscribe it.
• Is this a problem needing such strong medicine? Are we facing an epidemic of flag burnings?

Voted NO on constitutional ban of same-sex marriage.

Marriage in the United States shall consist only of the union of a man and a woman. Neither this Constitution, nor the constitution of any State, shall be construed to require that marriage or the legal incidents thereof be conferred upon any union other than the union of a man and a woman.

Proponents of the motion say:
• If Members of the Senate vote as their States have voted on this amendment, the vote today will be 90 to 10 in favor of a constitutional amendment.
• Marriage is a foundational institution. It is under attack by the courts. It needs to be defended by defining it as the union of a man and a woman as 45 of our 50 States have done.

  The amendment is about how we are going to raise the next generation. It is not an issue that the courts should resolve. Those of us who support this amendment are doing so in an effort to let the people decide.

Opponents of the motion say:
• This proposal pits Americans against one another. It appeals to people's worst instincts and prejudices.

  Supporters rail against activist judges. But if this vaguely worded amendment ever passes, it will result in substantial litigation. What are the legal incidents of marriage? Is a civil union a marriage?

• Married heterosexual couples are wondering, how, exactly, the prospect of gay marriages threatens the health of their marriages.
• This amendment would make a minority of Americans permanent second-class citizens of this country. It would prevent States, many of which are grappling with the definition of marriage, from deciding that gays and lesbians should be allowed to marry. And it would write discrimination into a document that has served as a historic guarantee of individual freedom.

Voted YES on adding sexual orientation to definition of hate crimes.

Voted YES on loosening restrictions on cell phone wiretapping.

Voted YES on expanding hate crimes to include sexual orientation.

Voted YES on setting aside 10% of highway funds for minorities & women.

Voted YES on ending special funding for minority & women-owned business.

Voted YES on prohibiting same-sex marriage.

Voted YES on prohibiting job discrimination by sexual orientation.

Voted NO on Amendment to prohibit flag burning.

Voted NO on banning affirmative action hiring with federal funds.

Increase subsidies for women-owned non-profit business.

Amends the Small Business Act with respect to the women's business centers program to provide Small Business Administration funding authority for nonprofit organizations conducting projects for the benefit of small businesses owned and controlled by women. Increases from 30 to 54 the percentage of appropriated women's business center funds to be used during FY 2004 for sustained women's business center projects.