Anti-LGBT discrimination has been banned in the United States with a new House legislation with a 236-173 vote on Friday, with every Democrat voting for it along with eight Republicans.
The Republicans who voted for the bill were:
Susan Brooks (Ind.), Mario Diaz-Balart (Fla), Brian Fitzpatrick (Pa.), Will Hurd (Texas), John Katko (N.Y.), Tom Reed (N.Y.), Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) and Greg Walden (Ore.)
According to The Hill, The Equality Act would expand the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Fair Housing Act to ban discrimination in employment, housing, jury selection, and public accommodations based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler (D-N.Y.) said:
“This legislation will provide members of LGBTQ Americans protections from being denying medical care or being fired or thrown out of their homes.’’
He added that the bill will expand the definition of “who is understood to be included in the Declaration of Independence.’’
Rep. John Lewis (D-Ga.) supported the legislation and said:
“Today on this day we have an opportunity to send a message now to help end discrimination in our country and set all of our people free.’’
The majority of Republicans opposed the legislation, saying that the bill is anything but anti-discriminatory. Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-Mo.) said:
“In fact, this bill legalizes discrimination – government imposed top-down discrimination against those with time-honored views of marriage and gender.’’
If the legislation makes it through the two chambers, President Donald Trump will most likely not sign it, as a senior administration official told NBC News:
“The Trump administration absolutely opposes discrimination of any kind and supports the equal treatment of all. However, this bill in its current form is filled with poison pills that threaten to undermine parental and conscience rights.’’
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