Sweeping Federal LGBT Rights Bill from Senate, House Democrats Has Huge Support in New Poll

With a new poll showing more than three-quarters of all Americans support the rights of lesbians, gays, bisexuals and transgender people, Democrats in both houses of Congress today introduced the most significant new legislation to protect LGBT people from discrimination.

The Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other federal laws. But without support from the opposition, Republicans in control of both House and Senate are unlikely to pass this bill.

"This commonsense legislation is long overdue. I stand with my colleagues in support of these vital protections for members of the LGBT community." said Sen. Harry Reid, Senate Minority Leader.

Democrats Jeff Merkley of Oregon, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Cory Booker of New Jersey are the lead sponsors in the Senate; David Cicilline of Rhode Island, also a Democrat, is the lead sponsor in the House.

"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," said Cicilline at a news conference Thursday on Capitol Hill. "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. 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," said Sen. Merkley. "Every person deserves to live free from fear of discrimination, regardless of who they are or whom they love."

The proposed legislation also clarifies that sex-segregated facilities must admit individuals in accordance to their gender identity, and that it applies to anyone discriminated against because of their perceived sexual orientation or gender identity or association with a protected class.

Just hours after the bill was introduced, the Williams Institute at UCLA released a new study showing a whopping 78 percent support federal protections from discrimination for LGBT people. If passed, the Equality Act would protect the rights of 9.5 million Americans, according to the institute.

Sen. Baldwin and Rep. Cicilline are both out legislators while Senators Merkley, Lewis and Booker, as well as Rep. Hoyer, are forceful allies for LGBT rights.

"In a nation built on the foundation of equality and individual liberty, no person should ever be fired from a job, bullied at school, evicted from their home, or turned away from a business simply because of who they are or who they love."

"We're changing the game today. Congress just introduced the bill we've been waiting for--the Equality Act. As our movement's new flagship LGBT bill, the Equality Act would make clear and comprehensive LGBT nondiscrimination protections in employment, education, housing, and public accommodations the law.

"When I was fired for being trans, I wanted nothing except to have protections like this. The bill's introduction today is bittersweet--while I'm overjoyed that this bill could help thousands of others, I'm saddened that, while Congress works its way to law, hundreds of others like me will not have clear and secure protections and could still lose their jobs for being who they are."

The Human Rights Campaign applauded the bill's introduction. "The time has come for full federal equality -- nothing more, nothing less," said HRC president Chad Griffin.

"While America is now a marriage equality nation, the tragic reality is that millions of LGBT Americans face persistent discrimination in their lives each and every day. In most states in this country, a couple who gets married at 10 AM is at risk of being fired from their jobs by noon and evicted from their home by 2 PM, simply for posting their wedding photos online. Congress must pass the Equality Act to ensure that LGBT people and their families are just as safe at work or at school as they are in their marriages."

Rea Carey, the executive director of the National LGBTQ Task Force, added that this is not a cure-all: "it does not solve every problem facing LGBTQ people and their families, such as the ongoing anti-transgender violence, the racial profiling by local police, the need to restore the Voting Rights Act, and the need to fix the nation's broken immigration system."

Kris Hayashi, Executive Director of the Transgender Law Center, echoed that sentiment in her statement about "the epidemic levels of violence and discrimination for trans and gender-nonconforming people.

"Just this week, we learned of the murder of a Black transgender woman in Florida - the tenth confirmed murder of a transgender woman this year. Transgender women are held in prisons, jails, and immigration detention facilities with men, where the state subjects them to horrific abuse and assault. A majority of states and the federal government still lack explicit protections for transgender employees, and employers exploit that lack, despite significant rulings from the EEOC in two cases brought by Transgender Law Center holding that discrimination based on gender identity violates existing federal laws against sex discrimination.

The Equality Act would make sweeping changes to federal civil rights law. One of the most notable, and likely controversial, sections would expand the list of businesses listed as public accommodations to include banks, retail stores, and companies that provide transportation and health care services -- covering nearly every business that provides goods or services.

Republicans in Congress have been rushing to the defense of businesses like florists and bakers who've refused to provide services for same-sex couples getting married. They argue that the business owners' religious freedom is being violated and have introduced federal legislation that would allow them to discriminate. The first committee hearing on the Republican bill will coincide with the introduction of the Equality Act. Similar laws in Indiana and Arkansas have drawn fire in the past year as opponents characterized it as legalized discrimination against LGBT people.

The Equality Act would also amend Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include employment protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Religious beliefs, race, sex, color, and national origin are already protected characteristics. The bill would not change existing religious exemptions for religious corporations, schools, and associations to make hiring decisions based on religious beliefs if the employee will be performing work connected with their religious activities.

It would pertain to any public or private businesses with more than 15 employees as well as labor organizations. This is the same standard currently in place in the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The bill would also update the Government Employees Rights Act of 1991 and the Civil Service Reform Act to include sexual orientation and gender identity protections for federal and District of Columbia government employees.

Other areas covered in the sweeping legislation include nondiscrimination protections for those seeking child welfare, public education, student loans, healthcare or nutrition assistance. LGBT people would also be protected from discrimination in any aspect of purchasing or renting a house.

The Equal Credit Opportunity Act and the Jury Service and Selection Act would also be amended to include sexual orientation and gender identity protections and would update the terms "husband" and "wife" to the more inclusive designation of "spouse."

"My college-age daughter and her friends can only imagine a world where everyone is equal. The time has come. The Equality Act would provide permanent protections so that every American has a fair chance to earn a living and provide for their families, including LGBT people. Employees should be hired, fired and promoted based on their performance, not their sexual orientation or gender identity."