More than 200 federal lawmakers have signed on to the first-ever federal Equality Act — which would prohibit anti-LGBT discrimination in a number of sectors — including a number of local legislators.
The 165 cosponsors include Congressmen Brendan Boyle (D-13th Dist.), Matt Cartwright (D-17th Dist.), Chaka Fattah (Second Dist.), Michael Doyle (14th Dist.) and Robert Brady (First Dist.) from Pennsylvania. However, neither Sens. Bob Casey (D) nor Patrick Toomey (R) cosponsored the Senate version.
A member of Casey’s staff told PGN the senator “has not yet decided whether or not he’s going to support it since it was just introduced,” but that he will release a statement on the legislation in the coming weeks.
The legislation would amend a number of federal laws to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in public accommodations, public education, employment, housing, federal funding, jury service, legal protections and credit. It is a significant expansion of the long-stalled Employment Nondiscrimination Act, which would ban workplace discrimination.
The Senate version is led by Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) and Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.). Booker is joined by cosponsor Sen. Robert Menendez (D) from New Jersey.
The House version is led by out Rep. David Cicilline (D-R.I.). New Jersey cosponsors include Congressmembers Donald Norcross, Frank Pallone Jr., Bill Pascrell Jr., Albio Sires, Bonnie Watson Coleman and Donald Payne Jr., all Democrats.
There are no Republican cosponsors on either bill.