By Joanne Lin, Michelle Richardson, and Deborah J. Vagins of the ACLU Washington Legislative Office. Cross-posted at Pam's House Blend.

A new law finally enacted today after a dozen years of fighting will protect us from discrimination based on our genes - the genes which may determine whether or not we may be destined to fall ill. But its passage also may add a little irony to our nation’s workplace protections.

In a very positive step for our genome-centered future, the U.S. House overwhelmingly passed the Genetic Non-Discrimination Act.

By a margin of 95-0 in the Senate and 414-1 in the House (Ron Paul the only opposing vote), Democrats and Republicans alike recognized the danger in railroading people based on their genes. How very wise.

The bill would bar health insurance companies from using genetic information to set premiums or determine enrollment eligibility. Similarly, employers could not use genetic information in hiring, firing or promotion decisions.

Rep. Ron Paul, R-Texas, was the only member of Congress to vote against the bill.

President Bush is expected to sign it into law.

Never used breaking before (I don't think), but due to the tireless effort of many of our legislators (Slaughter and Kennedy not least among them), the Genetic Information NonDiscrimination Act passed today, 95-0.

This act will make it illegal for employers and insurance companies to use personal genomic information for hiring, insurance pricing or acceptance purposes. Nor will these companies be allowed to require genomic testing for employment or insurance.

For those of you who have seen my comments on this website, you’ve probably noticed that I’ve gone through almost the entire Democratic field (and slightly outside of it if you count my support for Vice President Gore) in search of a candidate.  Recently, I have come to the conclusion that Senator Biden was my best choice for a Presidential candidate.

My issues in this election are simple: Foreign Policy and Executive Power.  In my mind, we need a President who not only knows that there are messes, but one who has put forth plans to clean them up.  Senator Biden is the candidate who – in my mind – is best capable of doing so.