President Obama is endorsing an updated civil rights act that bans discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
White House press secretary Josh Earnest told reporters the administration has been reviewing the legislation for a few weeks now, according to The Washington Post.
“It is now clear that the administration strongly supports the Equality Act,” he said.
However, The Washington Post reports, there is little chance the Equality Act will move forward in a Congress where Republicans are in control of both chambers.
Human Right Campaign president Chad Griffin posted a statement to the HRC website reacting to the news:
“The unfortunate reality is that, while LGBT Americans can legally get married, millions remain at risk of being fired or denied services for who they are or who they love because the majority of states still lack explicit, comprehensive non-discrimination protections. By endorsing the Equality Act, the White House sent a strong message that it’s time to put the politics of discrimination behind us once and for all. Now it’s time for Congress to act. Everyone should be able to live free from fear of discrimination and have a fair chance to earn a living and provide for their families, including people who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender.”
