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Sweeping LGBTI rights bill to go before Congress this week
Democrats will introduce a sweeping LGBTI rights bill in both chambers of the Republican-controlled Congress on Thursday (23 July).
According to a ‘Dear Colleague’ letter obtained by the Washington Blade, the Equality Act would ban anti-gay discrimination in seven areas: credit, education, employment, federal funding, housing, jury service and public accommodations.
‘Every day, millions of LGBT Americans face the danger of real discrimination and sometimes even violence because of their sexual orientation or gender identity,’ lead sponsor Rep David Cicilline wrote in the letter dated 20 July.
‘In most states, a same-sex couple can get married on Saturday, post pictures on Facebook on Sunday, and then risk being fired from their job or kicked out of their apartment on Monday.’
The Equality Act was named after the first gay rights bill introduced in Congress more than 40 years ago. It would have amended the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sexual orientation.
The new legislation comes a week after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission ruled that LGBTI people were already protected from workplace discrimination under existing federal law.
However, the Republicans control both chambers of Congress, and last year they blocked the Employment Non-Discrimination Act from coming to a vote – and it is likely they will do so again.
If any LGBTI-related legislation passes this Congress, it would probably be the First Amendment Defense Act which, would allow individuals and businesses to discriminate against same-sex couples.
The post Sweeping LGBTI rights bill to go before Congress this week appeared first on Gay Star News.
Darren Wee
www.gaystarnews.com/article/sweeping-lgbti-rights-bill-to-go-before-congress-this-week/
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