WASHINGTON, DC – Senator Mazie K. Hirono (D-HI) joined Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ), U.S. Representative Mark Takano (D-CA), and 260 colleagues in reintroducing the bicameral Equality Act, in an effort to push back against escalated attacks from the Trump Administration, MAGA Republicans, and state legislatures on the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ Americans nationwide. The Equality Act amends landmark federal anti-discrimination laws to explicitly add sexual orientation and gender identity to longstanding bans on discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, jury service, access to credit, federal funding, and more. It would also add protections against sex discrimination in parts of anti-discrimination laws where these protections had not been included previously, such as public accommodations and federal funding.
“Everyone deserves to feel safe in their communities, living freely with dignity and respect, and the Equality Act will help push back against infringements on the LGBTQ+ community’s rights and help to protect their civil liberties,” said Senator Hirono. “This long-overdue and critical legislation makes clear that discrimination and hate in any form will not be tolerated in this country and I will not stop fighting to ensure that everyone can live as their authentic self.”
In states across the country, over 850 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been filed so far this year—the most in U.S. history. The Equality Act is historic, comprehensive legislation to enshrine civil rights protections for our LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors in federal law.
In addition to Senators Hirono, Merkley, Baldwin, and Booker, the Equality Act is cosponsored by Senators Angela Alsobrooks (D-MD), Michael Bennet (D-CO), Richard Blumenthal (D-CT), Lisa Blunt Rochester (D-DE), Maria Cantwell (D-WA), Chris Coons (D-DE), Catherine Cortez-Masto (D-NV), Tammy Duckworth (D-IL), Dick Durbin (D-IL), John Fetterman (D-PA), Ruben Gallego (D-AZ), Kirsten Gillibrand (D-NY), Maggie Hassan (D-NH), Andy Kim (D-NJ), Angus King (I-ME), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM), Ed Markey (D-MA), Chris Murphy (D-CT), Patty Murray (D-WA), Jon Ossoff (D-GA), Alex Padilla (D-CA), Gary Peters (D-MI), Jack Reed (D-RI), Jacky Rosen (D-NV), Bernie Sanders (I-VT), Brian Schatz (D-HI), Adam Schiff (D-CA), Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH), Elissa Slotkin (D-MI), Tina Smith (D-MN), Chris Van Hollen (D-MD), Mark Warner (D-VA), Raphael Warnock (D-GA), Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Peter Welch (D-VT), Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), and Ron Wyden (D-OR). In the House, in addition to Representative Takano, the legislation is cosponsored by 213 Representatives.
A full list of the 600+ organizations endorsing the Equality Act can be found by clicking here.
Stories in support of the Equality Act and the protections it would enshrine into federal law can be found by clicking here.
The full text of the legislation is available here.
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