Openly gay Massachusetts Representative Barney Frank told the DC Agenda Thursday that the Employment Non-Discrimination Act is on the right track in the House of Representatives, but that he’s “less sure” about the bill’s prospects in the Senate. What’s more, Frank reported that lawmakers working on the bill were close to an agreement before the recent snowstorm shut down the federal government.

“We were very close just before we snowed out to basically come to an agreement on a bill that would get a majority vote in the Education & Labor Committee,” he said.

Frank said he’s still anticipating the committee to markup ENDA this month and a floor vote on the bill this March.

“The speaker has promised me that as soon as it passes the committee, she’ll bring it up to the floor of the House,” Frank said.

Among the more notable speed bumps for the passage of the bill is still the right way to address transgender protections. This most recent version of ENDA is the only one to include transgender protections.

“There has always been a problem with the question of people who are transgender in situations where people are totally or partially unclothed,” he said.

While expecting movement in the House, Frank was less certain about ENDA’s prospects in the Senate.

“I’m less sure about that,” he said. “I think people have often underestimated some of the difficulties.”