Political Quotes

“I wish to thank the Senator from Maine. I will do my very best. I rise to speak about the importance of passing the Employment Non- Discrimination Act, a bill I am proud to cosponsor and to support. It has taken us far too long to arrive at this day. For nearly 40 years, Members of Congress have worked to pass legislation that would protect LGBT Americans from discrimination in the workplace. Much has changed since Bella Abzug introduced the Equality Act of 1974. Equal marriage is now the law in 14 States--21 States and the District of Columbia have enacted laws to protect against employment discrimination based on sexual orientation. Sixteen States and the District of Columbia also protect against gender identity discrimination. The Supreme Court has rejected DOMA, a law that legalized discrimination against same-sex spouses by calling that law exactly what it was: unconstitutional. In the private sector, a majority of Fortune 500 companies have adopted policies to protect workers from discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Polling data shows that a majority of small businesses have similar policies in place. By nearly every measure, we have made progress in a long march toward equality.…”