Thursday, May 23, 2019

Rep. Susan Davis Votes for Historic Equality Act


davis

US House Rep Susan Davis' office issued the following:


     Rep. Susan Davis Votes for Historic Equality Act

 
Washington, May 17, 2019

U.S. Rep. Susan Davis (CA-53) reaffirmed the American principles of freedom and equality with her vote for the Equality Act (H.R. 5). This historic legislation says, unequivocally, that LGBTQ Americans deserve the full protections guaranteed by the landmark Civil Rights Act of 1964. The Equality Act extends anti-discrimination protections to LGBTQ Americans with regard to employment, education, access to credit, jury service, federal funding, housing, and public accommodations.

"This is truly an historic day in the House of Representatives,” said Rep. Davis, an original cosponsor of the Equality Act. “Equal treatment under the law is a hallmark of our nation and no American should ever feel the humiliation of discrimination. The Equality Act will guarantee that LGBTQ Americans cannot be discriminated against because of who they are or whom they love."
Despite having the right to marry, fifty percent of the national LGBTQ population live in states that still have no explicit non-discrimination protections in other areas of daily life.  In most states, a same-sex couple can get married one day and be legally denied service at a restaurant, fired from their jobs, or evicted from their apartment the next.

In some areas, federal law prohibiting sex discrimination has already been properly interpreted by federal courts and administrative agencies to include discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.  The Equality Act affirms these interpretations of existing law and makes the prohibition against discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity explicit, which provides greater clarity to members of the public, employers, schools, businesses, and others.  In areas where sex discrimination is not already prohibited, the bill amends existing law to bar discrimination on the basis of sex, as well as sexual orientation and gender identity.

The bill also includes Davis’s legislation, the Juror Non-Discrimination Act, to prohibit discrimination against jurors in federal courts on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.
The Equality Act has the bipartisan support of Members of Congress, the strong support of the business community, and the overwhelming support of the American people – with more than 7 in 10 supporting the Equality Act.