Again, much more detail at Moving Ideas.

You're not against this bill, are you? Because if you are, I'd love to hear why. Especially if you're willing to answer three or four questions.

For forty years the Civil Rights Act of 1964 has attempted to level the playing field in job opportunities, education, housing, voting and other areas. On February 11, 2004 civil rights leaders and Democrats introduced a multi-year initiative before Congress in an attempt to pass a sweeping update of the nation's laws barring discrimination.

Sponsored by Senator Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., and Reps. John Lewis, D-Ga., George Miller, D-Calif., and John Conyers, D-Mich., in the House, the FAIRNESS Act is an effort to counteract the potentially devastating impact of several U.S. Supreme Court decisions regarding civil rights protections.

Take Action: Learn how you can support the Act at the Leadership Conference on Civil Rights.

The Act includes the following provisions.

Title I: Equal Access to Public Services and Fair Treatment for the Military
1. Enhances protections against discrimination in federally funded services.
2. Protects state employees who serve in the military from discrimination based on their military status.
3. Provides students with necessary protections from harassment based on race, gender, national origin, color, and disability.
4. Ensures significant and effective remedies to deter discrimination.

Title II: Protection for Older Workers
1. Provides appropriate remedies for all victims of age discrimination in employment, including state employees.
2. Confirms that older workers may seek relief from practices that have unjustifiable discriminatory effect based on age.

Title III: Access to the Courts and Effective Remedies
1. Prevents employers from forcing workers to sign away their right to a day in court.
2. Provides victims of discrimination based on sex, disability or religion with remedies equal to those available for other forms of discrimination.
3. Ensures appropriate and effective remedies.

Title IV: Equal Pay for Equal Work
1. Enhances enforcement of the Equal Pay Act.

Title V: Fair Treatment for Workers
1. Confirms Congress' intent that all workers have adequate remedies for unfair labor practices.