WASHINGTON—The National Center for Transgender Equality honored seven members of Congress last week for their support of a fully inclusive federal Employment Non-Discrimination Act.

NCTE leaders said the representatives deserved praise for refusing to back a limited version of ENDA—without civil rights protections based on gender identity—last year. That version of the bill, pushed through the U.S. House by Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) and Rep. Barney Frank (D-Mass.), was vehemently opposed by most GLBT groups in the U.S. It passed the House and is pending in the Senate.

NCTE leaders planned to honor Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.), Nydia Velasquez (D-N.Y.), Rush Holt (D-N.J.), Michael Michaud (D-Me.), Anthony Weiner (D-N.Y.), Edolphus Towns (D-N.Y.) and Yvette Clarke (D-N.Y.) at an awards banquet April 14 in Washington.

“Achieving human rights in America is not only about people standing up and demanding to be treated with justice and dignity, it is also about working together with others who share our passion for equality,” said Mara Keisling, NCTE’s executive director. “These members of Congress have consistently shown themselves to be outstanding and unwavering advocates for a more just, fair and safe America for all, including transgender people.”