May 01, 2025

Duckworth, Durbin Join Colleagues in Reintroduction of Historic Equality Act to Ban Discrimination Against LGBTQ+ Americans

 

[WASHINGTON, D.C.] – U.S. Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL) and U.S. Senate Democratic Whip Dick Durbin (D-IL) joined U.S. Senators Jeff Merkley (D-OR), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Cory Booker (D-NJ) and Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA-39) for the bicameral reintroduction of the Equality Act in an effort to push back against escalated attacks from the Trump Administration, MAGA Republicans, and state legislatures on the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ Americans nationwide.

“It is absolutely unacceptable that someone can be fired from their job, evicted from their home and experience discrimination just because of who they are or who they love,” said Duckworth.  “As Trump continues his dangerous anti-LGBTQ+ attacks and we see a growing wave of legislation targeting the LGBTQ+ community across the country, we must protect their rights at the federal level. I’m proud to join Senator Durbin and my colleagues in re-introducing the Equality Act to finally enshrine critical civil rights protections for LGBTQ+ Americans in federal law.”

“No one should be treated as less than equal because of who they love or who they are. While we’ve taken big steps in the fight for equality for the LGBTQ+ community, Republican-led state legislatures and the Trump Administration are relentlessly attacking the rights and humanity of LGBTQ+ Americans. We must act,” said Durbin. “I’m joining my colleagues in introducing the Equality Act to ensure that LGBTQ+ Americans are fully and explicitly protected under our nation’s civil rights laws.” 

In states across the country, over 850 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been filed so far this year—the most in U.S. history. The Equality Act is historic, comprehensive legislation to enshrine civil rights protections for our LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors in federal law.

The Equality Act amends landmark federal anti-discrimination laws to explicitly add sexual orientation and gender identity to longstanding bans on discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, jury service, access to credit, federal funding, and more. It would also add protections against sex discrimination in parts of anti-discrimination laws where these protections had not been included previously, such as public accommodations and federal funding.

Despite major advances in equality for LGBTQ+ Americans in recent years, including codifying federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages, the majority of states still do not have explicit LGBTQ+ non-discrimination protection laws. The Equality Act would finally enshrine protections into federal law under all areas of potential discrimination, protecting the rights and freedoms of all LGBTQ+ Americans for generations to come.

The Equality Act is supported by 47 U.S. Senators and 214 U.S. Representatives. A full list of the over 600 organizations endorsing the Equality Act can be found on Senator Duckworth’s website.

Full text of the Equality Act as introduced in the Senate and as introduced in the House can also be found on Senator Duckworth’s website as well as a summary of the bill.

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