Contact: Conor McCabe 202-225-2906
WASHINGTON, DC – U.S. Representative Mark Pocan (WI-02) today released the following statement after the U.S. House of Representatives passed the Equality Act.
“Today is a truly historic day for civil rights in our country. With final passage of the Equality Act in the House of Representatives, we have taken the first step to explicitly bar discrimination based on both sexual orientation and gender identity for every American. Regardless of who you are, or whom you love, you should have the right to live freely and openly.
“The road to equality has been long and filled with hard-fought battles, but we are making remarkable progress. Close to four decades ago, Wisconsin led the nation as the first state to enact legislation barring discrimination based on sexual orientation and I’m so excited that we are now working to expand this protection to everyone across the country.
“While we celebrate this great achievement, we must continue our fight for equal rights for the LGBTQ community. By trying to roll back employment protections and attacking those bravely serving in our military, the Trump Administration has doubled down on its disastrous record on civil rights. The Senate should join the House in supporting this legislation and reaffirm that every American can live a full life with the freedom they deserve.”
As Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus and an openly gay member of Congress, Pocan has long been an advocate for equal rights. He has been an out elected official since 1991, when he ran for the Dane County Board of Supervisors in Wisconsin. Pocan will continue to advocate for equality and hold the Trump Administration accountable for their attacks on LGBTQ Americans.
