On the recordJune 18, 2020
before she leaves, another good idea from Senator Stabenow--pass the Equality Act today. Too logical, I guess, but it is another good idea, and I thank my colleague for it. I also want to commend my partner from Oregon, Senator Merkley, who has been leading this fight for years now. Wisconsin often partners with Oregon, going all the way back to our shared ownership of Wayne Morris. I just want to thank my colleagues for the great work they have been doing and just take a couple of minutes to talk about my pride in standing with them to fight for the passage of the Equality Act. We have come together during the middle of Pride Month. In 2020, with the pandemic continuing to spread, Pride Month looks a little different than it has in the past--no parades, smaller celebrations--but it still has been a historic month when it comes to LGBTQ rights, perhaps more so than any other since marriage equality became the law of the land in June 2015. A few days ago, the Supreme Court ruled that the Civil Rights Act of 1964 protects LGBTQ Americans against discrimination in the workplace. The majority said an employer who fires an individual merely for being gay or transgender defies the law. Now, this ruling was a little bit of a surprise. I mean, it was absolutely correct in that it recognized that the law offered equal protection for LGBTQ Americans--a fact that should never have been in doubt.…





