Washington, D.C. — Today, a bipartisan group of lawmakers in the U.S. House of Representatives formally reintroduced the Equality Act, a measure that would ban anti-LGBTQ discrimination in virtually all aspects of daily life. The bill has been introduced in every Congress since 2015 and was first passed in the House with bipartisan support in 2019.
A comprehensive 2014 report from the Center for American Progress laid the groundwork for the bill’s original introduction, and it has since gained support in each subsequent Congress. Its passage in 2019 marked a significant milestone, but it was never brought to a vote in the Republican-controlled U.S. Senate. With Democrats now in control of both chambers of Congress and President Joe Biden prepared to sign the legislation, the Equality Act is that much closer to becoming a reality.
Winnie Stachelberg, executive vice president for External Affairs at the Center for American Progress, issued the following statement in response to the bill’s reintroduction:
In the past year, the U.S. Supreme Court and the Biden-Harris administration have made tremendous advances in upholding the rights of LGBTQ Americans. With today’s introduction of the Equality Act, Congress has taken the first step to codify the Supreme Court’s landmark protections and also update our civil rights laws to expand protections for LGBTQ people as well as women, people of color, and people of faith.
Nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ people, like those in this bipartisan bill, are supported by more than 80 percent of the public. Across zip codes, party affiliations, and faith traditions, the majority of Americans believe that LGBTQ people should be treated equally under the law. The need is urgent, the support is strong, and President Biden has affirmed that he is ready to sign this critical legislation into law. It is time for Congress to pass the Equality Act.
For more information on the Equality Act or to speak with an expert, please contact Adam Peck at [email protected].