U.S. House Passes Equality Act

flozen

Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Equality Act.

The Act would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to protect people from being discriminated based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing and other services, as well as access to public accommodations such as restaurants.

The final vote was 224-206, including the support of all Democrats and three Republicans.

https://www.cnn.com/2021/02/25/politics/equality-act-passes-house/index.html

https://www.npr.org/2021/02/24/969591569/house-to-vote-on-equality-act-heres-what-the-law-would-do

https://www.bbc.com/news/world-us-canada-56202805

https://www.washingtonblade.com/2021/02/25/house-passes-equality-act/

The bill needs support from at least 10 Republicans in the Senate to move forward, which is far from certain.

Some moderate-leaning Republicans are split: Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) told the Washington Blade that he wouldn't vote in favor of the bill, citing religious freedoms. Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) co-sponsored the bill last year, per NPR.

Advocates for the LGTBQ community argue the legislation will help protect people in states where it's legal to discriminate on the basis of orientation, and add the law is long overdue.

andergarcia

@flozen

Hope it is finally passed in the House for the benefit of Americans.

bi4smooth

@andergarcia said in U.S. House Passes Equality Act:

@flozen

Hope it is finally passed in the House for the benefit of Americans.

Correction there: you hope if passes the SENATE... it just passed the House.

Little doubt that Biden would sign it.

However, a comment to @flozen's post: it would be possible to pass on a 51/50 vote, IF the Republicans who are not in favor didn't attempt to filibuster it...

And if pigs grew wings, we'd have some awesome bacon-flavored gameday pork-wings!

andergarcia

@bi4smooth
Yes, the Senate. Sorry for my mistake...