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| Nearly all House Republicans said the bill infringed on their religious freedom and voted against it. (Photo by= Getty Images) |
[Asia News Communication = Reporter Reakkana] The US House of Representatives has passed sweeping legislation that prohibits LGBT discrimination, but it’s unlikely to pass the Senate according to BBC. The Equality Act previously passed by the Democratic-led House in 2019 but was killed by Senate Republicans.
The debate has laid bare the ideological battle between liberals who support the act and conservatives who say it infringes on religious freedom. The act expands on a 2020 Supreme Court ruling protecting some LGBT rights. The Equality Act expands on the 1964 Civil Rights Act to include protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The act provides non-discrimination protections for LGBT people. It would extend into all areas of life, including employment, housing, credit, jury service, and public services. It makes existing state protections federal and consistent across the nation.
The act would also federally codify into law the 2020 June Supreme Court ruling that said employers who fire workers for being gay or transgender are violating civil rights law. Advocates for the act have argued that the current "patchwork" of state anti-discrimination laws doesn’t provide enough comprehensive protection, and leaves many LGBT individuals at risk. Passing the act was one of President Joe Biden's campaign promises and he has said he would sign it into law immediately should it pass Congress.
