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An amendment to the Every Child Achieves Act that would prevent discrimination against LGBT students received a historic vote in the U.S. Senate today. The Student Non Discrimination Act (SNDA) was also introduced as a standalone bill in the House in February, and is authored by Reps. Jared Polis (D-CO), Robert C. “Bobby” Scott (D-VA), and Ileana Ros-Lehtinen (R-FL) in the House, and Senator Al Franken (D-MI) in the Senate.

The measure received 52 votes in the Senate but fell short of the 60 needed for passage.

“Far too many LGBT students across the country are bullied and harassed on a daily basis at school because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,” Polis said. “It needs to stop. LGBT students deserve the right to a safe learning environment, free from discrimination and harassment.

“Today, a majority of U.S. Senators recognized this truth by voting to end bullying against LGBT students. While it didn’t receive the sixty votes necessary for passage, this represents a giant step forward in our effort to make sure LGBT students have a safe and welcoming place to learn.”

Modeled after Title IX, SNDA would establish a comprehensive federal prohibition against discrimination in public schools based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity. It would also forbid schools from discrimination against LGBT students or ignoring harassing behavior.

According to a recently-released school climate survey conducted by the Gay, Lesbian & Straight Education Network, about three quarters of LGBT students reported being verbally harassed because of their sexual orientation or gender identity, nearly half (49 percent) reported being bullied over the Internet, and more than a third reported being physically harassed or assaulted.

Polis is the first openly gay person to successfully run for Congress and the first openly gay parent to serve in Congress. He is the senior most co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a longtime advocate for inclusive federal non-discrimination laws and nationwide marriage equality.