<p><strong>February 25th 2021&nbsp;</strong>DignityUSA joins LGBTQ+ advocates and allies across the country in celebrating the passage of the Equality Act through the U.S. House of Representatives on Thursday. The passage of the bill through the House represents a major step toward enshrining the Equality Acts historic wide-ranging LGBTQI protections into federal law.</p><p>Marianne Duddy-Burke Executive Director of DignityUSA celebrated the bills progress stating Were thrilled by the passage of the Equality Act through the House of Representatives. It represents a major victory for LGBTQI Americans and for the advocates who have spent decades organizing and advocating for such a bill. With Presidential and Congressional leadership supportive of the bill we have a historic opportunity to guarantee nationwide protections for the LGBTQI community.</p><p>Though the House previously passed a 2019 version of the Equality Act new leadership in the Senate and White House has raised hopes that the bill will become law.</p><p>Duddy-Burke continued With the Biden/Harris DignityUSAistration and numerous Congressional candidates pledging to prioritize LGBTQI civil rights during the 2020 election season they must act quickly to keep their promises. We urge Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) to schedule a floor vote on the bill as soon as possible.</p><p>Duddy-Burke also noted that strong majorities of Catholics support the kinds of protections the Equality Act would provide for LGBTQI people. As of October of 2020 87% of Hispanic Catholics and 83% of White Catholics supported nondiscrimination laws representing majorities of Catholics of both political parties [1]. Catholics understand it is wrong to discriminate against anyone because of their identities. We are confident Senators are taking note of this support among Catholic voters.</p><p>Today the United States lacks federal laws prohibiting LGBTQI discrimination and 29 states have not outlawed LGBTQI discrimination. The Equality Act would enact nondiscrimination protections in employment housing education public accommodations federal funding jury service and credit.</p><p style=text-align: center;><em>###</em></p><p style=text-align: center;><em>DignityUSA is the worlds largest membership organization of Catholics committed to justice equality and full inclusion of lesbian gay bisexual queer and transgender people in our church and society. Founded in 1969 it is also a founding member of the Global Network of Rainbow Catholics</em></p><p style=text-align: left;>_</p><p style=text-align: left;>[1] -&nbsp;<span>Public Religion Research Institute Oct. 2020.</span></p>