Nancy Pelosi promises the Equality Act will finally become law now that America has adults in charge
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) speaks during a press conference at the US Capitol on 15 January, 2021 in Washington, DC. (Getty/ Samuel Corum)
Nancy Pelosi has promised that the Equality Act will pass through her House of Representatives once again so that it can become law now Joe Biden has been inaugurated.
The Equality Act would expand the Fair Housing Act and the Civil Rights Act of 1964 , and provide federal protection against discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation in education, employment, housing and public spaces.
Speaker Pelosi‘s House already passed the act in 2019, but it stalled in the Donald Trump’s Republican-controlled Senate and never became law.
But in a speech for the Human Rights Campaign LGBTQ Inaugural Event on Wednesday (20 January), Pelosi said: “In the 2020 election, the American people delivered a transformational, unified Democratic government. One committed to advancing justice and building back better.
“Across the country, the LGBT+ community came together in record numbers to organise, mobilise and make the difference.
“Because of you, we have elected leaders who believe in, and will fight for, the bedrock values of equality and justice.
“I am proud to say that the Biden-Harris administration will be the most pro-equality administration ever, and they will have a strong partner in our Democratic House majority which is now nearly 70 per cent women, people of colour and LGBT+. ”
“Together we will build on our success, including by once more passing the Equality Act so that it can finally become the law,” Pelosi continued.
“We must fully end LGBT+ discrimination, once and for all.”
After one day in office, president Joe Biden has already protected LGBT+ people from discrimination.
While the Trump administration worked to strip LGBT+ discrimination protections within healthcare, defence, education, housing and more, Joe Biden used his first day in office to protect the queer community.
On Wednesday (20 January), shortly after his inauguration, he signed the “most substantive LGBT+ executive order in history”, making sure that queer staffers at government agencies cannot be discriminated against.
Sam Brinton, vice president of advocacy and government affairs at The Trevor Project, said: “It is a true breath of fresh air to see president Biden prioritise LGBT+ non-discrimination protections and inclusive data collection on day one, along with several other key policy changes that will protect marginalised communities.”
