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FACT BRIEF

Did the Equality Act garner ‘overwhelming’ bipartisan support from the House in 2019?

Wednesday, February 24, 2021
By Lauralei Singsank
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NO

The Equality Act, which would increase protections from discrimination against LGBTQ people, passed in the U.S. House of Representatives by a slight majority in May 2019. Eight Republicans joined 228 Democrats in supporting the bill.

The law was not taken up in the Senate, despite support for a vote from a group of senators including Maine Republican Susan Collins. Proponents of the act continue to support the bill, citing research finding bipartisan support for measures such as the Equality Act among 70% of Americans. Opponents argue it could infringe religious freedom.

A January 2021 executive order by President Biden promises expanded, but reversible, protections through implementation of a 2020 Supreme Court ruling barring workplace discrimination based on gender identity and sexual orientation.

This fact brief is responsive to conversations such as this one.
Sources
US Congress: H.R.5—The Equality Act
GovTrack: H.R.5—The Equality Act
US Senate: Sen. Jeff Merkley—Senators lead push to bring the Equality Act to a vote
Human Rights Campaign: The Equality Act
Public Religion Research Institute: Widespread support for LGBT issues
White House: Executive Order on preventing and combating discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation
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Fact briefs are short, credibly sourced summaries that offer “yes/no” answers in response to claims found online. They rely on publicly available, often primary source data and documents. Fact briefs are created by contributors to Gigafact —a nonprofit project looking to expand participation in fact-checking and protect the democratic process. See all fact briefs here.