Donna Shalala: “In Florida and many other States, LGBTQ Americans are still at risk of being fired, evicted, and denied services because…”

“In Florida and many other States, LGBTQ Americans are still at risk of being fired, evicted, and denied services because of their sexual orientation or gender identity. LGBTQ people confront discrimination throughout their entire lives, from harassment that youth face at school to the bias that older, same- sex couples experience when they are denied housing in retirement communities. In the gallery today is Christian Bales, an openly gay and gender- nonconforming student who was barred from delivering his valedictorian speech at his high school on account of his sexuality. Two nights ago, Christian was honored with the 2019 Hugh M. Hefner First Amendment Award for Education. Today, we will take a crucial step in standing up for people like Christian by passing H.R. 5. Mr. Speaker, 2019 is the 50th anniversary of the uprising at Stonewall and the birth of the modern LGBTQ movement. There is no better way to honor the decades-long struggle for dignity and equality for LGBTQ people than for our elected leaders in Congress to pass this legislation. I am proud to support H.R. 5. The SPEAKER pro tempore. Members are reminded not to reference occupants of the gallery.”