Skip to main content
Statement

Equality Act Is Right for America; Moms Want U.S. Senate to Join House in Passing Law to Stop Discrimination Against LGBTQ Community

May 17, 2019
Workplace Justice, Equal Pay, Health Care

Lisa Lederer, 202-371-1996

Statement of Kristin Rowe-Finkbeiner, executive director and CEO of MomsRising, an online and on-the-ground organization of more than one million mothers and their families, on passage by the U.S. House of Representatives of the Equality Act:

“The Equality Act is anti-discrimination legislation the country needs and America’s moms support. We thank House leaders for bringing it to the floor today and commend every representative who took a stand for fairness and equality by voting to pass it. We now urge the U.S. Senate to do the same. This vitally important bill must not become another victim of Senator McConnell’s legislative graveyard – especially when there is an urgent need to strengthen civil rights laws so LGBTQ people will finally be protected against discrimination in education, employment, health, housing, and in public accommodations.

“It is simply unacceptable that so many LGBTQ people cannot be certain that their rights will be protected. America’s moms want everyone in this country to be able get an education, earn a living, and get the housing and health care they need without being subject to harassment or discrimination based on who they are or who they love. The patchwork of state laws we have today is not sufficient. Congress must pass the Equality Act so no person’s rights will depend on where they live.

“The Trump administration has taken horrifying steps to institutionalize and allow for discrimination against LGBTQ people in the military and health care, and scaled back enforcement of anti-discrimination laws overall. Now more than ever, America needs the Equality Act to become law. The Senate simply must act.”

# # # #

MomsRising.org is an on-the-ground and online grassroots organization of more than a million people who are working to increase family economic security, decrease discrimination against women and moms, and to build a nation where businesses and families can thrive. Established in 2006, MomsRising and its members are organizing and speaking out to improve public policy and to change the national dialogue on issues that are critically important to America’s families, including criminal justice reform, immigration policy reform, and gun safety. MomsRising is working for paid family and medical leave, affordable, high quality childcare and early learning, and for an end to the wage and hiring discrimination which penalizes women — particularly moms and women of color — and so many others. MomsRising advocates for access to healthy food for all kids, health care for all, earned sick days, and breastfeeding rights so that all children can have a healthy start. MomsRising maintains a Spanish language website: MamásConPoder.org. Sign up online at www.MomsRising.org — and follow us on our blog, and on Twitter and Facebook.