WASHINGTON— Today the House of Representatives passed the Equality Act, comprehensive legislation that extends anti-discrimination protections to members of the LGBTQ community. Currently, numerous LGBTQ individuals live in states with no anti-discrimination protections and are at risk of being denied employment, housing, and services for their identity. Rep. Raúl M. Grijalva co-sponsored the legislation and issued the following statement after voting in favor of it:

“For too long, our LGBTQ brothers and sisters have endured a patchwork of state-level legal protections that left those outside certain states unprotected from discrimination. This is ridiculous and wrong. LGBTQ individuals deserve the same protections as the rest of us​. They deserve the right to earn a living, have a roof over their head, and not fear harassment or discrimination while accessing day-to-day services in public accommodations like stores, airports, and banks.

“This legislation remedies the existing gaps in anti-discrimination laws and expands federal protections to ensure LGBTQ people have the full equality under the law they deserve. It’s absurd that it’s taken this long to recognize the humanity of LGBTQ individuals, but I am pleased this Congress and the Biden Administration are on the right side of history and proudly affirm that LGBTQ rights are human rights.”

###