WASHINGTON (AP) — The Senate pushed a major anti-bias gay rights bill past a first, big hurdle Monday, a clear sign of Americans' greater acceptance of homosexuality nearly two decades after the law prohibiting federal recognition of same-sex marriage.

The vote of 61-30 essentially ensured that the Senate has the votes to pass the Employment Non-Discrimination Act that would prohibit workplace discrimination against gay, bisexual and transgender Americans.

Final passage, possibly by week's end, would cap a 17-year quest to secure Senate support for a similar discrimination measure that failed by one vote in 1996, the same year Congress passed and President Bill Clinton signed the Defense of Marriage Act.

Reflecting the nation's shifting views toward gay rights and the fast-changing political dynamic, seven Senate Republicans joined with 54 Democrats to vote to move ahead on the legislation.

"Rights are sometimes intangible but, boy if you've ever been discriminated against, seeking employment or seeking an advancement, it's bitter," Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., the only openly gay member of the Senate, said after the vote. "And it's been a long, long fight, but I think its day has come. And that's just very exciting to witness."

The legislation would be the first significant gay rights legislation since Congress ended the ban on gays serving openly in the military in December 2010. The Supreme Court in June affirmed gay marriage and granted federal benefits to legally married same-sex couples while same-sex marriage is legal in 14 states and the District of Columbia.

About a half hour after the Senate acted, President Barack Obama cited the vote as an example of "common sense starting to prevail" in a Congress that has opposed much of his agenda.

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FILE - In this Sept. 8, 2011, file photo, Sen. Dean Heller, R-Nev., speaks during a news conference …

"Inexorably, the idea of a more tolerant, more prosperous country that offers more opportunity to more people, that's an idea that the vast majority of Americans believe in," the president told a group of supporters gathered for a summit in Washington Monday night.

Prospects are dimmer in the Republican-led House where Speaker John Boehner, R-Ohio, remains opposed.

Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a chief sponsor of the legislation, said the 60-plus bipartisan vote should force the House to vote on the legislation.

"It was Republican votes that made the difference tonight and that that is a strong signal," Collins aid. "I also think that attitudes are changing very rapidly on gay rights issues and we're seeing that with each passing day. More and more people have embraced equality."

The vote served as a vivid reminder of the nation's changing views and lingering resistance to homosexuality. The political implications resonated in Maine, as six-term Democratic Rep. Mike Michaud, who is running for governor, said he was gay and questioned whether it still mattered to voters.

In high drama for the Senate, the typical 15-minute vote stretched beyond 30 minutes of waiting and cajoling.

Two backers of the measure — Sens. Claire McCaskill of Missouri and Lisa Murkowski of Alaska — were on planes back to Washington. That left sponsors stuck at 58 of the necessary 60 votes, forcing Collins and Jeff Merkley, D-Ore., to lobby fiercely, sometimes at the door of the Republican cloakroom off the Senate floor.

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Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, flanked by Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., left, and Sen. Jeff Merkley, D-O …

Minutes into the vote, Sen. Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire emerged to vote yes. Then the outcome rested with Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio, who announced earlier this year that his son was gay and he supported same-sex marriage, and Sen. Pat Toomey of Pennsylvania.

After extended discussions, Portman and Toomey emerged to vote yes.

"I have long believed that more legal protections are appropriate to prevent employment discrimination based on sexual orientation," Toomey said in a statement after the vote, in which he promised to offer an amendment to protect religious freedom.

The other Republicans who voted yes were Sens. Orrin Hatch of Utah, who had opposed the discrimination measure in 1996, Dean Heller of Nevada, and Mark Kirk of Illinois.

Kirk delivered his first speech on the Senate floor since suffering a stroke in January 2012. Seated at a desk, Kirk said it was especially important for an Illinois Republican to speak out for the legislation in the tradition of Everett Dirksen and Abraham Lincoln, two leaders on civil rights.

The three potential Republican presidential candidates — Marco Rubio of Florida, Ted Cruz of Texas and Rand Paul of Kentucky — voted against, a reflection that among core GOP conservative voters opposition to gay rights remains strong. No senator spoke in opposition to the measure during Monday's debate.

Tony Perkins of the conservative Family Research Council said in a statement that he was disappointed in the Senate vote, but "confident that the U.S. House of Representatives will ultimately reject ENDA because it not only threatens the free market but religious liberties as well."

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Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, right, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, st …

Current federal law prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex, race and national origin. But it doesn't stop an employer from firing or refusing to hire workers because they are gay, lesbian, bisexual or transgender.

The bill would bar employers with 15 or more workers from using a person's sexual orientation or gender identity as the basis for making employment decisions, including hiring, firing, compensation or promotion.

The bill would exempt religious institutions and the military.

Opening Senate debate, Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., quoted slain gay rights leader Harvey Milk, who argued that freedom and individual rights shouldn't hinge on political deals and opinion polls.

The law, Reid said, would ensure that "all Americans regardless of where they live can go to work unafraid to be who they are." Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa., called the measure another step forward in the country's progress.

Meanwhile, in Maine, Michaud wrote about his homosexuality.

"That may seem like a big announcement to some people. For me, it's just a part of who I am, as much as being a third-generation mill worker or a lifelong Mainer. One thing I do know is that it has nothing to do with my ability to lead the state of Maine," Michaud wrote in an op-ed article.

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Sen. Tom Harkin, D-Iowa, chairman of the Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions Committee, talks to …

The anti-discrimination bill faces strong opposition from conservative groups — Heritage Action and the Faith and Freedom Coalition said the vote will be part of their legislative scorecard on lawmakers. More to its immediate prospects, the legislation is opposed by Boehner, casting doubt on whether the House will vote.

Reiterating Boehner's longstanding opposition, spokesman Michael Steel said Monday that Boehner "believes this legislation will increase frivolous litigation and cost American jobs, especially small business jobs."

Chad Griffin, president of the Human Rights Campaign, the largest gay and lesbian advocacy group, contrasted Heller's backing with Boehner's opposition.

"The speaker, of all people, should certainly know what it's like to go to work every day afraid of being fired," Griffin said, a reference to the unsuccessful, tea party-backed challenge to Boehner earlier this year.

Twenty-two states and the District of Columbia have approved laws banning workplace discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, and 17 of those also prohibit employers from discriminating based on gender identity.

About 88 percent of Fortune 500 companies have adopted nondiscrimination policies that include sexual orientation, according to the Human Rights Campaign. About 57 percent of those companies include gender identity.

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Associated Press writers Josh Lederman, Nedra Pickler and Alan Fram contributed to this report.

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Follow Donna Cassata on Twitter at http://twitter.com/DonnaCassataAP


Gay discrimination bill clears Senate hurdle

The Senate votes to move forward on legislation that would end workplace discrimination for LGBT Americans.
Uncertain fate in House

Herbal-Supplement Scam: Tests Reveal Fake and Dangerous Ingredients

Supplements may contain weeds, toxins, and cheap fillers

If you are one of the nearly 40 percent of Americans who have tried an herbal supplement, you might want to think twice before spending $10, $20, or more on another bottle. Findings of a recent study, using DNA analysis, suggest that many plant-based remedies on the market today may be made of cheap fillers, such as soy, rice, and wheat, or contain weeds or potentially harmful contaminants.

Scientists from the University of Guelph in Ontario tested 44 popular herbal supplements (such as St. John's wort and echinacea) that are sold by 12 different companies in Canada and the United States. They found that one-third of the supplements contained none of the plant extracts indicated on the product label. Fifty-nine percent were contaminated with plant species not listed on the ingredients list, including some that were considered toxic or allergy producing, as well as other potentially hazardous substances. Only two out of 12 companies sold supplements that were all completely genuine and free of plant substitution, fillers, or contaminants.

More on Yahoo: 10 Surprising Dangers of Vitamins and Supplements

Over the last 20 years, herbal supplements have become a $5 billion-a-year business in the United States alone. For scientists and consumer advocates who have been watching the booming industry—about 29,000 different products are available—the results aren't a complete surprise. David Schardt, senior nutritionist for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, tellsYahoo Shine that previous studies have also shown that in an unregulated industry, supplements don't always contain what they are supposed to have. He says, what is alarming about the new research is that, "only 2 out of 12 companies [tested] were manufacturing a quality product, while 10 out of 12 were shoddy." He adds, "Its not impossible, but it may be hard for consumers to find quality products" at all.

More on Yahoo: Counterfeit Medicines: The New Face of Organized Crime

Most people assume that if their local pharmacy, health food store, or grocery store stocks a particular herbal supplement, it must be safe. But, unlike both prescription and over-the-counter drugs, which are strictly regulated, dietary supplements don't have to be proven safe and effective to the Food and Drug Administration before hitting the market. While some harmful products, such as ephedra, have been banned, it can be years before the FDA receives enough complaints to take action. And adverse reactions are shockingly underreported—the FDA estimates that there are as many as 50,000 "adverse events" involving dietary supplements a year, while fewer than 1,000 are officially recorded.

Schardt says that when it comes to botanicals, quality control is difficult. The science of isolating active compounds is tricky, and growing and harvesting plants can introduce all sorts of contaminants. Indeed, a 2010 study of 40 herbal supplements by the Government Accountability Office found that 37 of them tested positive for hazardous substances such as lead, cadmium, mercury, arsenic, and pesticides. He points out that the DNA testing methods used in this study could help the industry police itself better and produce a more reliable product.

According to the National Institutes of Health (NIH), it's wise to speak to your doctor before taking any herbal supplement. Even some popular ingredients, such as kava and comfrey, have been linked to liver damage. This is especially important for pregnant or nursing women or people suffering from chronic disease. Herbal supplements can interfere with prescribed medications or interact badly when taken in combination with other supplements. Because the study looked only at a sampling of products, they did not name specific brands.

Resources are available for you to research herbal supplements on your own, until the industry begins to do a better job of manufacturing a safe and consistent product or the government imposes stricter standards. ConsumerLab.com is an independent laboratory that provides test results for vitamins and supplements by subscription. You can also look for a "USP Verified" label, which means the manufacturer has voluntarily asked the U.S. Pharmacopeial Convention, a nonprofit organization that sets industry standards for medicines, food ingredients, and dietary supplements, to test the quality of its product.


What's really in that pill? Not what you think

When you buy a supplement like echinacea, there's a good chance you're getting something else.
Alarming DNA analysis

Vatican issues global questionnaire on modern families

Vatican City (AFP) - The Vatican on Tuesday launched an unprecedented worldwide consultation on modern families including same-sex couples as part of Pope Francis's drive to reform the Catholic Church.

A questionnaire has been sent to bishops around the world asking them for detailed information about the "many new situations requiring the Church's attention and pastoral care".

"Concerns which were unheard of until a few years ago have arisen today as a result of different situations, from the widespread practice of cohabitation... to same-sex unions," it said.

Religious watchers said the 39 questions were unusual because of their non-judgemental, practical nature in what could be a signal of greater openness and increased pastoral care regardless of a believer's background.

Referring to gay couples, one questions asks: "What pastoral attention can be given to people who have chosen to live in these types of union?"

"In the case of unions of persons of the same sex who have adopted children, what can be done pastorally in light of transmitting the faith?"

On remarried divorcees, who under the current rules are not allowed to receive Holy Communion in a Catholic church, the questionnaire asks: "Do they feel marginalised or suffer from the impossibility of receiving the sacraments?"

On divorce and separated couples in general, it asks: "How do you deal with this situation in appropriate pastoral programmes?"

The initiative is part of preparations for a synod of bishops next year and another in 2015 that the Vatican said will formulate "working guidelines in the pastoral care of the person and the family".

Lorenzo Baldisseri, head of the synod of bishops, told reporters that the meeting's theme "reflects very well the pastoral zeal with which the Holy Father wishes to approach the proclamation of the Gospel to the family in today's world".

He said the consultation also showed Francis, who has said the Catholic Church is too "Vatican-centric", wanted more "collegiality".

Cardinal Peter Erdo, president of the Council of the Bishops' Conferences of Europe, referred in particular to the increase in cohabiting Catholic couples who do not intend to marry, saying "the phenomenon requires a deepened reflection."

Archbishop Bruno Forte, special secretary of the synod, said "the Church has to better its understanding, it is not a static body. We do not have the answers ready, but we cannot behave like an ostrich, with its head in the sand."

Vatican expert Marco Politi, who writes for the Italian weekly L'Espresso, told AFP that "it is hugely significant that the Church, instead of presenting its 'truth' on families, civil unions and homosexuality from on high, wants to hear about the experience of the local faithful."

"What's interesting is how bishops are going about gathering the information. Some bishops are taking Francis's drive further forward, while others are putting on the brakes," he said.

In England, for example, the questionnaire is available online so individuals can express their opinions directly, while bishops elsewhere "believe their role is to filter the answers", he added.

Pope Francis has shown a more open style since being elected in March and a desire to bring the Catholic Church more in touch with the lives of ordinary people, although experts say he is unlikely to bring about major changes in doctrine.

Francis has said priests should baptise children even when the parents are not married and, when asked recently about his views on gays, he replied: "If someone is gay and seeks the Lord with good will, who am I to judge?"


Vatican issues unprecedented survey

The Holy See sends a questionnaire to bishops around the world that could signal a tremendous change in the church.
39 questions