On Thursday, December 10, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee approved the nomination of Chai Feldblum to be one of five Commissioners on the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC). Feldblum was approved by a voice vote in between votes on the health reform bill. Sens. Coburn, R-Okalahoma, Burr, R-North Carolina, Roberts, R-Kansas and Isackson, R-Georgia, recorded themselves as having voted against Feldblum.
Her nomination is now sent to the Senate floor for a full confirmation. As a Commissioner on the EEOC, Feldblum would be one of the five Commissioners tasked with drafting regulations for the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA) – once ENDA becomes law. The EEOC was established as part of the Civil Rights Act of 1964. Its mission is to promote equality of opportunity in the workplace and enforce Federal laws prohibiting employment discrimination.
Feldblum is exceptionally well qualified to serve as a Commissioner on the EEOC. She is a Professor of Law at Georgetown University Law Center, and she is the director of the Federal Legislation and Administrative Clinic. Feldblum has been a leader in the areas of disability rights, health care and lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) policy. She is an expert on workplace policies and laws, and was a key drafter of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and ENDA.
Feldblum’s nomination marks the first time an openly LGBT person has been nominated to the EEOC. Once confirmed, Feldblum will join the ever growing list of openly LGBT appointees serving in the Obama Administration. For a list of openly LGBT appointees, see: www.glli.org/presidential.
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