White House Supports Anti-LGBT Discrimination Measure

WASHINGTON – The White House has come out in support of a federal measure outlawing discrimination against LGBT people.
White House Press Secretary Josh Earnest says the bill would provide comprehensive equal rights for LGBT Americans and also protect religious freedom. Earnest reports the Obama Administration had been reviewing the bill for several weeks and says the White House looks forward to working with Congress to ensure that the legislative process produces a balanced result.
The comprehensive bill, the Equality Act, would update the 1964 Civil Rights Act to extend long-lasting protections against discrimination in employment, housing, education, public accommodations and other areas to LGBT Americans. The bill was introduced in July by Democratic Sens. Jeff Merkley, Oregon; Tammy Baldwin, Wisconsin; Corey Booker, New Jersey; and Rep. David Cicilline, D-Rhode Island.
"President Obama's continued leadership on equality for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender Americans, women and communities of color is manifest today in his endorsement of the federal Equality Act. Even today, LGBT Americans in more than half the states can be turned away from jobs, housing and services with no clear, explicit protections under the law. Women and communities of color still do not have protection against discrimination in all instances of federal funding or public accommodations. We hope that Congress will follow the president's lead by giving the Equality Act a fair hearing and consideration in this Congress," said Karin Johanson, National Political Director of the American Civil Liberties Union.
Earnest announced the administration's support for the measure on Nov. 10, the same day President Barack Obama appeared on the cover of Out magazine.
The publication says Obama is the first sitting president to be photographed for the cover of an LGBT title.