Polis Joins Civil Rights Leaders to Unveil Comprehensive LGBT Equality Bill

Statement

Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) today joined Reps. David Cicilline (D-RI) and John Lewis (D-GA) and Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), and Cory Booker (D-NJ) to introduce a landmark bill that would extend civil rights statutes to end discrimination against LGBT individuals.

Specifically, the Equality Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and other existing laws to prohibit discrimination based on actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity in the areas of employment, education, credit, housing, federal funding, jury service, and public accommodations.

The bill incorporates the substance of a bipartisan measure that Polis has introduced every session of Congress since 2010 -- the Student Non-Discrimination Act (SNDA) -- aimed at preventing discrimination against LGBT students in public schools. A companion measure to SNDA received a historic vote in the Senate last week, garnering the support of a majority of Senators.

Today's comprehensive bill also incorporates a ban on employment discrimination, which Polis has also championed and introduced into Congress several times in the form of the Employment Non-Discrimination Act (ENDA).

"The Equality Act is a historic piece of civil rights legislation, and the principle at its core could not be simpler: discrimination is wrong, no matter what form it takes, whom it targets, or where it occurs," Polis said.

"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.

"The Supreme Court's recent marriage equality decision was a landmark victory giving LGBT families the dignity of being recognized under the law, but in most states, LGBT Americans still lack basic protections against discrimination. I couldn't be prouder to join with Senator Merkley, Representative Cicilline, and countless other Americans from all faiths and walks of life who have come together to champion this momentous piece of legislation."

Although Colorado state law prohibits discrimination against LGBT individuals in the workplace, at school, or in public accommodations, most states do not have such protections. For example, it is still legal in 31 states to fire an employee because they're gay or transgender. In 28 states, same-sex couples have no legal recourse if their landlord decides to evict them from their home. And only 14 states have laws prohibiting discrimination against LGBT students in school.

The Equality Act is aimed at correcting these injustices. It combines aspects of other bills that were introduced in the past that applied to only one area of life (i.e. employment, credit, education) into a comprehensive bill that says discrimination against LGBT individuals should be illegal under any circumstance. In addition, unlike previous legislation, the Equality Act directly amends existing civil rights statutes instead of creating new ones, to ensure that LGBT Americans are accorded precisely the same level of protection from discrimination as other protected groups.

Polis is the first openly gay person to successfully run for Congress and the first openly gay parent to serve in Congress. He is the senior most co-chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and a longtime advocate for inclusive federal non-discrimination laws and nationwide marriage equality.

Source