Rep Barney Frank Call Congress on ENDA Now

Rep. Barney Frank talked with LGBT POV's Karen Ocamb before speaking at an economic summit in Los Angeles about his hopes for movement on a trans-inclusive Employment Non-Discrimination Act this month and his feelings on the Obama administration's handling of "don't ask, don't tell."

Frank told Ocamb the most effective way for LGBT Americans and their allies to advocate for ENDA is to call or write members of Congress ... now.

"There's only one way to do it," Frank told Ocamb before speaking at the summit in Los Angeles. "It doesn't mean marching, it doesn't mean waving signs. It means calling up their representatives -- the members of the House who represent them -- and say, please vote for this bill and please oppose watering down the transgender provision ... Call people and say we want you to support the bill and don't water down the transgender provision -- because that's the point of political trouble. And they should start calling now. I believe we'll get a vote sometime this month."

He also said while there's movement on "don't ask, don't tell," it isn't fast enough for his taste ... and the lack of leadership from Obama on getting a bill to repeal DADT this year is this main problem.

"His not being for it will give people an excuse to not vote for it. Thing is -- we've done hate crimes. We do ENDA. It's a big agenda all at once. At this point -- the president's refusal to call for repeal this year is a problem."