Jeff Merkley on Civil Rights

Democratic Senate Challenger; member of State House

Co-sponsored Equality & Family Fairness Act for gay equality

Jeff was proud to oversee the passage of several key pieces of legislation that immediately improved the lives of gay and lesbian individuals across the state.

Jeff was a co-sponsor of The Equality and Family Fairness Act, which grants legal rights to same-sex couples who register their partnerships with the state. It affords them nearly 500 rights under the law to which they would otherwise not be entitled.
And to ensure those families have access to all their rights under the law, Jeff also co-sponsored the Oregon Equality Act, prohibits discrimination against Oregonians on the basis of real or perceived sexual orientation.
Jeff Merkley is the only U.S. Senate Candidate along the West Coast who is publicly and fully supportive of full marriage equality.

Source: Endorsement letter from National Stonewall Democrats , Sep 18, 2008

Ok to define marriage against polygamy or same-sex

Senator Gordon H. Smith (R-OR) compared homosexual marriage to the persecution of Mormons in the 19th century. “My campaign people will kill me for saying this, but... Part of what I fear as you start defining marriage--we have a long history of doing that in this country, and my Mormon pioneer ancestors were the victims of that. I don’t want that coming back,” said the Republican legislator. Smith supported a federal law defining marriage as “between one man and one woman.” However, he says his Mormon background helps him empathize with victims of discrimination. Gordon says he does not want to create a much bigger problem in the gay and lesbian community. Gordon’s Democratic opponent, Jeff Merkley’s (D-OR) campaign released the statement saying that Smith “appears he is defending polygamy and believes it was wrong for the government to establish a definition of marriage as between one man and one woman.” Source: Campaign Summaries on www.dcpoliticalreport.com , Jun 17, 2008

Oregon Equality Act: sexual orientation is a civil right

Be It Enacted by the People of the State of Oregon: To protect their health, safety and morals from the consequences of intergroup hostility, tensions and practices of discrimination of any kind based on sexual orientation: The Legislative Assembly intends to provide:

A program of public education calculated to eliminate attitudes upon which practices of discrimination because of sexual orientation;
An adequate remedy for persons aggrieved by certain acts of discrimination because of sexual orientation;
hereby is recognized as and declared to be a civil right.

However, this section shall not be construed to prevent a bona fide church from preferring an employee of one religious sect or persuasion over another. Source: Voting record, The Oregon Equality Act (SB 2) , Dec 31, 2007

Apply affirmative action to state hiring

Q: On affirmative action: Should race, ethnicity or gender be taken into account in state agencies’ decisions on: Public employment?

A: Yes.

Q: State college and university admissions?

A: Yes.

Q: State contracting?

A: Yes. because of sexual orientation;

hereby is recognized as and declared to be a civil right.However, this section shall not be construed to prevent a bona fide church from preferring an employee of one religious sect or persuasion over another. Source: Oregon State 1998 National Political Awareness Test , Nov 1, 1998

Prohibit sexual-identity discrimination at schools.

Merkley signed Student Non-Discrimination Act

Prohibits public school students from being excluded from participating in, or subject to discrimination under, any federally-assisted educational program on the basis of their actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or that of their associates.
Considers harassment to be a form of discrimination.
Prohibits retaliation against anyone for opposing conduct they reasonably believe to be unlawful under this Act.
Authorizes federal departments and agencies to enforce these prohibitions by cutting off the educational assistance of recipients found to be violating them.
Allows an aggrieved individual to assert a violation of this Act in a judicial proceeding and recover reasonable attorney's fees should they prevail.
Deems a state's receipt of federal educational assistance for a program to constitute a waiver of sovereign immunity for conduct prohibited under this Act regarding such program.

Source: HR.998&S.555 11-S0555 on Mar 10, 2011

Click here for definitions & background information on Civil Rights. Click here for a profile of Jeff Merkley. Click here for SenateMatch answers by Jeff Merkley. Agree? Disagree? Voice your opinions on Civil Rights in The Forum. Click here for a summary of Jeff Merkley's positions on all issues. Click here for issue positions of other OR politicians.
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Page last updated: Nov 04, 2011