WASHINGTON, D.C. – Late last night, U.S. Congressman Scott Peters (CA-52) proposed an amendment on the floor of the U.S. House of Representatives calling for LGBT equality and non-discrimination provisions in federal transportation and housing programs. The amendment passed with bipartisan support on a 241-184 vote.
“No American should be fired or denied a job or place to live for being who they are or because of who they love,” Rep. Peters said. “My amendment would demonstrate that Congress is willing to lead on equality and fairness as we work toward full non-discrimination provisions for LGBT individuals.”
Watch Rep. Peters’ speech in the video above.
In July 2014, President Obama signed an executive order to prohibit contractors from discriminating based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment.
Rep. Peters’ amendment would not allow federal transportation or housing funds to be used in contravention of the President’s order, continuing precedent that no federal contract be awarded to a person or organization that discriminates on the basis of sexual orientation of gender identity against either its employees or applicants for employment.
Currently, only 18 states, including California and the District of Columbia have non-discrimination protections for the entire LGBT community in both employment and housing. In numerous states where marriage equality is recently legal that means that an LGBT individual can get married in the morning, and then fired from their job or denied a rental application in the afternoon for no other reason than their marital status changed.
Amazing, a bi-partisan win for the LGBT community! Thank you Scott Peters!