For Immediate Release: May 17th, 2019
Media Contact: Lora L. Tucker
Phone: 954-765-6024
Email: lora@lgbtcenters.org
House Passage of the Equality Act
Washington - The House of Representatives today passed the Equality Act, a historic moment marking the first time a chamber of Congress has approved comprehensive federal protections for the LGBTQ community.
The Equality Act would provide national, consistent non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in all aspects of life, amending current civil right laws to explicitly prohibit discrimination against the LGBTQ community and strengthen non-discrimination protections for women and other minorities.
The bi-partisan bill known as H.R. 5 received unprecedented support with over 240 co-sponsors and hundreds of businesses and national organizations urging their lawmakers to pass this crucial legislation. Seven out of ten Americans believe federal non-discrimination protections should be in place.
Over 150 LGBTQ community centers signed on to CenterLink’s letter endorsing the Equality Act. “Many operate with limited staff and finances, yet centers across the nation spent hours advocating for the bill by holding letter writing campaigns, lobbying their representatives, sharing client stories of discrimination, and engaging in outreach within their communities. Centers are the hearts of their communities and they are making a significant difference in the fight for equality,” said CenterLink Chief Executive Officer, Lora L. Tucker.
Today we took an important step toward giving LGBTQ Americans the ability to pursue health and happiness, earn a living, feel safe in their communities, serve their country, and take care of the ones they love. A similar bill has been filed in the Senate, and we urge their leadership to allow it to move forward.
CenterLink develops strong, sustainable LGBT community centers and builds a thriving center network that creates healthy, vibrant communities. Founded in 1994, CenterLink plays an important role in addressing the challenges centers face by helping them to improve their organizational and service delivery capacity, access public resources, and engage their regional communities in the grassroots social justice movement. www.lgbtcenters.org.
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