Congressman Cleaver Votes In Favor of Historic Equality Act to End Discrimination Against LGBTQ Americans

(Washington, D.C.) – Today, United States Representative Emanuel Cleaver, II (D-MO) voted in favor of H.R. 5, the Equality Act, to ensure all LGBTQ Americans are afforded the full protections guaranteed under federal civil rights law. The Equality Act would extend anti-discrimination protections past the workplace and into the hiring process, education, housing, access to credit, jury service, federal funding, public accommodations, and more.

"For far too long, the federal government has enabled individual states to treat our LGBTQ friends as second-class citizens without the protections the vast majority of Americans have never thought twice about," said Congressman Cleaver. "With this legislation, we can rectify the wrongs of the past and ensure that no American will ever be discriminated against on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. In the United States of America, we believe that all people are created equal and deserving of certain inalienable rights, and this legislation simply reaffirms our commitment to that foundational principle."

Millions of LGBTQ Americans live in states where they still have no explicit, state-level non-discrimination protections in many facets of daily life. In 27 states, LGBTQ Americans can be denied housing because of their sexual orientation; 31 states lack protections regarding access to education; and 38 states lack protections regarding jury service. In at least half of the states, a same-sex couple can get married one day and legally denied service at a restaurant or be evicted from their apartment the next. By amending existing federal civil rights laws to create a nationwide standard, the Equality Act would explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity across the country.

According to a poll from the Human Rights Campaign, the Equality Act has garnered overwhelming bipartisan support, as 70 percent of Americans favor the vital protections included in the legislation. The bill also enjoys robust support from the business community, including the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and hundreds of other leading businesses and corporations that understand the importance of an economy and society that provides equal protection under the law.

"Every individual, regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, sexual orientation, or gender identity, is deserving of dignity, respect, and civil rights in the United States of America," said Congressman Cleaver. "I was proud to support this legislation with a bipartisan majority of my colleagues because it upholds the very ideals upon which our nation was founded. As this pivotal piece of legislation heads to the Senate, I will continue fighting for passage of the Equality Act until it is signed into law by President Biden."

Emanuel Cleaver, II is the U.S. Representative for Missouri's Fifth Congressional District, which includes Kansas City, Independence, Lee's Summit, Raytown, Grandview, Sugar Creek, Blue Springs, Grain Valley, Oak Grove, North Kansas City, Gladstone, Claycomo, and all of Ray, Lafayette, and Saline Counties. He is a member of the exclusive House Financial Services Committee; Chairman of the House Subcommittee on National Security, International Development, and Monetary Policy; member of the Select Committee on the Modernization of Congress; member of the Committee on Homeland Security; and a Senior Whip of the Democratic Caucus. For more information, please contact Matt Helfant at 202-590-0175 or matthew.helfant@mail.house.gov A high-resolution photo of Congressman Cleaver is available here.