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Congresswoman Duckworth Helps Introduce Legislation to Prevent Discrimination of LGBT Americans


Washington, DC–(ENEWSPF)–July 24, 2015. Today, Congresswoman Tammy Duckworth (IL-08) joined Congressman David Cicilline (RI-01) to introduce the Equality Act, legislation to ban discrimination against LGBT individuals in public accommodations, housing, employment, and many other areas.

“It is crucial that we build upon the victories we saw for LGBT Americans last month in the Supreme Court,” said Duckworth. “While LGBT Americans gained the right to marry, it is still unacceptable that they can be fired from their job, evicted from their home and discriminated against simply because of who they love. It is time for the entire country to follow the lead of my home State of Illinois and finally enshrine critical civil rights protections for LGBT Americans in federal law.”

The bill will amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to make it illegal to discriminate based on sexual orientation or gender identity. The legislation would apply to public accommodations, federal funding, education, employment, housing, credit and jury service. Illinois is one of only 17 states and the District of Columbia that prohibit discrimination for public accommodations based on sexual orientation or gender identity; one of only four that prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation, and one of only 14 states and the District of Columbia that prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in education.

Duckworth took several actions this Congress to push for equality for the LGBT community including:

Joining 166 members of the House and 44 Senators to write an amicus brief to the Supreme Court arguing that Americans deserve the freedom to marry.

Cosponsoring the Respect to Marriage Act, which would repeal the Defense for Marriage Act (DOMA), restore the rights of same-sex couples and allow them to receive all the benefits of marriage under federal law.

Cosponsoring the Restore Honor to Service Members Act, which ensures members of the armed forces who served honorably, but were discharged and given a punitive discharge classification solely because of their sexual orientation have their records corrected to reflect their honorable service.

Cosponsoring the Student Non-Discrimination Act, which would prohibit public schools from discriminating against any student on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.

Source: www.duckworth.house.gov

 


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