The House on Thursday approved the Equality Act, a major agenda item for President Joe Biden that would ban discrimination against LGBTQ Americans in a 224-206 vote.
Three Republicans, along with all Democrats, voted in favor of the measure, which was passed by the House two years ago but fell into the then GOP-controlled Senate. In 2019, eight Republics of the House supported the bill.
The measure would extend the protection of the Civil Rights Act to LGBTQ Americans to block discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.
Reps Brian Fitzpatrick, R-Pa., Tom Reed, RN.Y., and John Katko, RN.Y., voted with Democrats on Thursday to support the proposal.
The vote follows two days of emotional and – sometimes – personal debates in the House between Democrats and Republicans, with some lawmakers speaking from their own life experiences on the floor.
“None of us should be evicted, fired or denied accommodation and services simply because of who we are and who we love,” Rep. Ritchie Torres, DN.Y., said. He is one of the first openly gay black men to submit. Congress.
Rep. Marie Newman, D-Ill., Who spoke on the House floor Monday in support of her transgender daughter, came under attack from the Republican Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene of Georgia, a Conservative who told Newman on Twitter that ‘your biological son’ does NOT belong in my daughters ‘bathrooms, locker rooms and sports teams,’ and tried unsuccessfully to slow down Thursday’s vote by House. to force twice to vote on a dilating motion to postpone.
Newman, whose office in Washington is across the aisle from Greene, hoisted a transgender flag outside her door. In response, Greene put up a poster that read, “There are TWO generations: Male and female – Trust science!”
Republicans who oppose the bill cite concerns that it would undermine their religious beliefs and irrevocably affect women’s sports across the country.
“When men or women claim that they can choose their own sexual identity, they make a statement that God did not know what he was doing when he made them,” Rep. Greg Stuebe, R-Fla, said. “You’re going to destroy women’s sport in the name of equality, how ironic.”
Democrats and LGBTQ advocacy groups condemn the rhetoric of Greene and other Republicans in opposition to the bill.
“Their attacks on transgender people and the transgender community are just mean, mean,” Senate Leader Chuck Schumer, DN.Y.
Alphonso David, the president of the Human Rights Campaign, called the comments “dangerous and transphobic”.
“These comments actually create additional stigma against communities that need to be protected,” he said.
According to the Human Rights Campaign, 44 transgender or gender-normative Americans were killed last year, the highest score the organization has ever recorded.
“The attacks are not based on facts, but on fear,” he said.
The Equality Act needs the support of 60 senators to get to Biden’s desk for his signature, which needs the support of at least ten Republicans, assuming all Democrats return the package.
Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, a critical swing vote who concentrated the legislation in 2020, told the Washington Blade this week that she will not do so this year, citing unspecified changes she requested and which were not made. not. She did not say what changes she was looking for.
“Sen Collins supports the assurance of justice and equal treatment of all Americans, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity, and she is considering all possible options to do so, including the introduction of her own bill,” said Collins spokeswoman Annie Clarke. told the Washington Blade. .
The Senate Judiciary Committee will take the measure, but has not yet scheduled a meeting to do so.
ABC News’ Trish Turner contributed to this report.