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Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (WA-01) today helped reintroduce the Equality Act, a comprehensive bill that aims to end discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans.

“In too many states, people who are LGBT can still be fired, denied credit and evicted from their home simply based on who they are and who they love,” DelBene said. “What’s worse, our nation is seeing a proliferation of state laws stripping protections from transgender Americans and legalizing discrimination under the guise of ‘religious freedom.’ The Equality Act is an important step toward full equality under our laws for LGBT Americans, and Congress should pass it without delay. We can’t stop fighting until all Americans have equal rights and protections in all 50 states.”

The Equality Act, introduced by Rep. David Cicilline (RI-01) and Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-OR), would provide explicit, consistent civil rights protections for sexual orientation and gender identity in credit, education, employment, federal funding, housing, jury service and public accommodations.

Several states have enacted laws to permit discrimination against LGBT individuals, particularly transgender Americans, underscoring the need for a comprehensive prohibition on discrimination.

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