There’s not much chance the LGBT Equality Act will pass the current Republican-dominated Congress this year, but it’s gaining momentum on Capital Hill. The act would expand existing civil right laws to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. And its protections are sweeping, including housing, the workplace, schools, public accommodations, and financial transactions.
One sure sign of the growing momentum for the passage of the landmark bill in a future Congressional session comes with the announcement of the first Republican senator to sign on as a co-sponsor. Earlier this week, Senator Mark Kirk of Illinois crossed party lines to give the act bi-partison support in both houses of Congress (Representative Bob Dold, also of Illinois, announced his support last week).
“Senator Kirk has once again proven his leadership, by becoming the first Republican Senator to co-sponsor of the Equality Act,” said Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin in a recent HRC press release. “His support for the Equality Act sends a strong message that fairness and equality are bipartisan values. It also reflects the view of the overwhelming majority of all Americans who believe that everyone, including LGBT people, should be able to have a fair chance to earn a living, provide for their families, and live free from fear of discrimination.”
Check out the full text of the bill or read more about it in an BuzzFeed posting from last summer, when the act was introduced.
