BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) - U.S. Sen. Heidi Heitkamp told the North Dakota Legislature that it's "irrational'' to discriminate against anyone.
Heitkamp, a Democrat, made separate addresses to the state House and Senate on Friday. Some of her address was an indirect reference to the Republican-led Legislature's defeat of a measure last week that would have prohibited discrimination based on sexual orientation in housing, government, public services and the workplace.
She says North Dakota needs to be as welcoming as possible to help fill the more than 20,000 unfilled jobs in the state.
Republican House Majority Leader Al Carlson says he welcomed the address from Heitkamp. But he says it would have been better if she would have addressed federal issues that concern North Dakota.