The U.S. House of Representatives Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler, D-N.Y., today (Tuesday, April 2) held the first-ever hearing on H.R. 5, the Equality Act, historic civil rights legislation that would explicitly prohibit discrimination against LGBT people and strengthen non-discrimination protections for women and others.
As the hearing was underway, Nadler released a statement saying, “I am deeply grateful to our witnesses today for sharing their stories and expertise. The discrimination and hardship faced by the LGBT community are heartbreaking, immoral and require action.
“At the heart of the Equality Act are questions much broader than the individual provisions of the bill: Who do we want to be as a country, and what is our willingness to take action to ensure that everyone, including the LGBT individuals, are able to fully participate in the American way of life?
“It is time for us to continue our march towards justice and uphold our long-held belief that we cannot be tolerant of intolerance that is designed to demean and to exclude communities. I am proud to co-sponsor the Equality Act and call this hearing today.”
Watch Nadler’s full opening statement in support of the Equality Act below:
