Via press release:
Tomorrow, Tuesday, May 2 at 11AM ET, members of the U.S. Congress will gather in the Capitol’s Rayburn Room with advocacy leaders and LGBT Americans who have suffered discrimination to announce the re-introduction of historic legislation to ban discrimination against LGBT individuals in federal law.
The Equality Act would outlaw discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, and other areas of law where discrimination is already prohibited for other protected classes.
In most states, this discrimination – including being fired, refused an apartment or mortgage, or refused service at a restaurant based on LGBT status – is not explicitly outlawed. The Equality Act would make clear that LGBT Americans are fully protected from discrimination under federal law.
WHO:
Oregon’s Senator Jeff Merkley
Rep. David Cicilline
House Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi
Senate Democratic Leader Charles E. Schumer
Senate Assistant Democratic Leader Patty Murray
Sen. Tammy Baldwin
Sen. Cory Booker
Chad Griffin, President, Human Rights Campaign
Winnie Stachelberg, Executive Vice President, Center for American Progress
Mara Keisling, Executive Director, National Center for Transgender Equality
Emily Martin, General Counsel and Vice President, National Women’s Law Center
The Equality Act updates the law to add explicit protections for sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity to existing civil rights laws. It does not change the religious exemptions already in place in federal law. Those religious entities that are currently exempt will remain exempt, with regard to expressing a preference for people of their faith in employment, under Sections 702(a) and 703(e) of Title VII) and for the sale, rental, or occupancy of a dwelling owned by a religious organization for non-commercial purposes (under Section 3607 of the Fair Housing Act) will remain allowed to do so.
I always find it interesting that the Democrats always introduce Equality Legislation such as ENDA and the Equality Act when they don’t have any control over Congress.