On Nov. 10, the Obama administration endorsed legislation that would amend the 1964 Civil Rights Act to ban discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity, The Washington Post reported.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest told reporters that the administration "has been reviewing [the measure] for several weeks." "It is now clear that the administration strongly supports the Equality Act," he said, adding it would advance the civil rights of "millions of Americans."
In a statement, Human Rights Campaign President Chad Griffin applauded the move, saying, "By endorsing the Equality Act, the White House sent a strong message that it's time to put the politics of discrimination behind us once and for all.
"Now it's time for Congress to act. Everyone should be able to live free from fear of discrimination and have a fair chance to earn a living and provide for their families, including people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender."
The Washington Post item is at www.washingtonpost.com/politics/obama-supports-altering-civil-rights-act-to-include-gender-discrimination/2015/11/10/3a05107e-87c8-11e5-9a07-453018f9a0ec_story.html .
From ACLU:
WASHINGTON — Today, President Obama endorsed the federal Equality Act, a bill that would prohibit discrimination against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans and expand protections for women and communities of color.
The comprehensive federal bill would expand the existing Civil Rights Act passed more than 50 years ago to include sexual orientation and gender identity as explicitly protected classes and adds prohibitions against discrimination in public accommodations and using federal funding — much-needed protections that will guarantee women and communities of color in addition to LGBT people are treated equally in a number of important areas.
Karin Johanson, National Political Director of the American Civil Liberties Union, said:
"President Obama's continued leadership on equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, women, and communities of color is manifest today in his endorsement of the federal Equality Act. Even today, LGBT Americans in more than half the states can be turned away from jobs, housing and services with no clear, explicit protections under the law. Women and communities of color still do not have protection against discrimination in all instances of federal funding or public accommodations. We hope that Congress will follow the President's lead by giving the Equality Act a fair hearing and consideration in this Congress."
From PFLAG ED Jody Huckaby:
WASHINGTON, DC—PFLAG National Executive Director Jody M. Huckaby reacted to today's endorsement of the Equality Act by the Obama Administration:
"Each day that goes by without the nondiscrimination protections the Equality Act would afford, our lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender children and loved ones are at risk of being denied access to public education and federally funded programs, and of losing their homes and their jobs. PFLAG's values are America's values and that means full protection from discrimination for all people, including those who are LGBTQ, women, and people of color. We thank the Obama Administration for its endorsement of the Equality Act; PFLAG—with its hundreds of chapters and thousands of members across the country—is committed to working toward its passage in partnership with Congress and all who believe in the value of fairness."
