On Thursday, a comprehensive bill barring discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity was introduced in Congress. The Equality Act was introduced by Democratic Rep. David Cicilline of Rhode Island and Democratic Sen. Jeff Merkley of Oregon and has drawn the support of 165 members of the House and 39 senators.
The bill (S.1858, H.R. 3185) is a new attempt to bar discrimination at the federal level, and is much stronger than the Employment Nondiscrimination Act or ENDA, a bill that had been debated in Congress for a decade without passing. The Equality Act updates the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill would bar discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, public education, federal funding, credit, and the jury system.
In Minnesota, all congressional DFLers have signed on to the bill save one: Rep. Collin Peterson representing the northwest part of the state. Reps. Keith Ellison, Betty McCollum, Tim Walz, and Rick Nolan are all cosponsors. Sens. Al Franken and Amy Klobuchar are also co-sponsors. Republican Reps. Tom Emmer, John Kline, and Erik Paulsen did not sign on to the bill.
As Think Progress notes, the bill also includes increased protections based on race and sex because it updates the Civil Rights Act to include a new definition of public accommodations.
The maintains federal law regarding religious objections, but adds new language stating that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act cannot be used as an excuse to discriminate in public accommodations on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, or gender identity.
“In most states, you can get married on Saturday, post your wedding photos to Facebook on Sunday, and then get fired on Monday just because of who you are. This is completely wrong. Fairness and equality are core American values. No American citizen should ever have to live their lives in fear of discrimination,” Rep. Cicilline, the bill’s House author said in a statement on Thursday. “I am introducing the Equality Act today with 157 House co-sponsors in order to ensure that LGBT Americans have the same rights and protections afforded to all other Americans.”
“The time has come for us as a nation to be bolder and better in ensuring full rights for the LGBT community,” Sen. Merkley, the Senate author said in a statement. “Every person deserves to live free from fear of discrimination, regardless of who they are or whom they love. Enacting the Equality Act will bring us another significant step forward in our nation’s long march towards inclusion and equality. It will extend the full promise of America to every American.”