Equality Act advances to House floor over Republican opposition

The House Judiciary Committee voted Wednesday to advance the Equality Act to the full House, over the votes of every Republican on the committee. 

The bill is an expansion of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act and would not only ban employment discrimination against LGBTQ people, but would also ban discrimination in housing and other areas.

“Fairness and equality are core American values,” said Rep. David Cicilline, who introduced the bill. “This bill affirms those values and ensures members of the LGBTQ community can live their lives free from the fear of legal discrimination of any kind. Equal treatment under the law is a founding principle of America and it’s absurd that, in 2019, members of the LGBTQ community can be fired from their jobs, denied service in a restaurant or get thrown out of their apartment because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. It’s very disappointing that, in 2019, most of my Republican colleagues are standing on the wrong side of history. This bill to end discrimination against the LGBTQ community is long overdue.”

Like ENDA, which passed in the House in 2007 when the Senate would not pass it and the Senate in 2013 when the House would not pass it, the Equality Act is likely to be a one-chamber bill this time around—but Democrats continue to lay the groundwork for a day when both chambers of Congress pass it and a president signs it.

from Daily Kos http://bit.ly/2vAoCp9