Apple CEO Tim Cook took to Twitter on Friday to voice his position on a potential new law currently being considering by the United States Congress. “The House should mark the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act by passing ENDA,” Cook tweeted while mentioning members of Congress in leadership positions from both political parties. Cook also tweeted the quote “We shall overcome” and said “Much done but much left to do.”
The law to which Tim referred, known as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, would prohibit companies with 15 or more employees from discriminating based on sexual orientation or gender. The Apple CEO has previously expressed this position in a Wall Street Journal opinion editorial published last November. The bill has since been passed by the Senate, but has struggled to make it through the House of Representatives.
During his tenure at Apple and especially as CEO, the Alabama native has taken opportunity to express his interest in the movement of equality.
Cook cited both Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. and Robert Kennedy as inspirational figures in a speech last December at Auburn University’s Lifetime Achievement event.
In his WSJ op-ed, Cook noted Apple’s policy as it relates to the proposed law:
Apple’s antidiscrimination policy goes beyond the legal protections U.S. workers currently enjoy under federal law, most notably because we prohibit discrimination against Apple’s gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender employees. A bill now before the U.S. Senate would update those employment laws, at long last, to protect workers against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
Speaker of the House John Boehner, who leads the Republican-controlled House of Representatives, has previously stated his opposition to the bill becoming law:
I am opposed to discrimination of any kind — in the workplace and any place else. But I think this legislation — that I have dealt with as chairman of the Education Workforce Committee long before I was back in the leadership — is unnecessary and would provide a basis for frivolous lawsuits. People are already protected in the workplace. I am opposed to continuing this.
Tim Cook and Speaker Boehner previously shared a meeting at the US Capital in early 2012, but the topic was assumed to be regarding Apple’s tax practices at the time.
"We shall overcome". Reflecting on the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act. Much done but much left to do. http://t.co/hk1IdRHZjU
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Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 11, 2014
The House should mark the 50th anniversary of the Civil Rights Act by passing ENDA. @SpeakerBoehner @GOPLeader @NancyPelosi @WhipHoyer
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Tim Cook (@tim_cook) April 11, 2014
Filed under: AAPL Company Tagged: Apple, Employment Non-Discrimination Act, Tim Cook 
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