To protect rights of LGBTQ, US House passes Equality Act

NEW YORK, February 26

The House has passed the landmark Equality Act, taking LGBTQ Americans one step closer to winning legal protection from discrimination.

By a vote of 224 to 206, the House passed the landmark Act, which amends the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes in addition to race, religion, sex and national origin. The vote closely followed party lines, with only three Republican lawmakers supporting the Bill.

“Without the Equality Act, this nation will never live up to its principles of freedom and equality,” Democratic Representative Marie Newman of Illinois, who has a trans daughter, said on the House floor. “I’m voting yes on the Equality Act for Evie Newman, my daughter and the strongest, bravest person I know.” Lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people often encounter prejudice in housing, credit, jury service and public spaces. Since the start of the year, a dozen states have introduced or passed laws to bar trans girls from participating in girls’ sports leagues. — Reuters

Civil Rights Act amended

By a vote of 224 to 206, the House passed the Equality Act, which amends the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity as protected classes in addition to race, religion, sex and national origin. The vote closely followed party lines, with only three Republicans supporting the Bill.

22 states against bill House of Representatives passed landmark Bill

22 states prohibit bias against LGBT

60/100 votes needed to pass Equality Act in Senate