In Support of the Equality Act (H.R. 5)
Adopted at the 87th Annual Meeting in 2019
WHEREAS, The United States Conference of Mayors has a demonstrated history of advancing civil rights and equality for all, answering President Kennedy's call for national mayoral action in support of the civil rights movement at the Annual Meeting here Honolulu in 1963; and
WHEREAS, the United State Conference of Mayors adopted a sweeping policy statement in 2008 calling for full protection against discrimination any kind and continues this work with the Mayors' Compact to Combat Hatred, Bigotry, and Extremism; and
WHEREAS, although LGBTQ Americans have experienced great strides forward in recent years with marriage equality and other legal victories, the community still lacks federal protection against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity or expression in the workplace, housing, schools, and public accommodations; and
WHEREAS, all Americans deserve to be treated fairly and equally under one federal law, rather than a patchwork of state and local anti-discrimination laws; and
WHEREAS, the U.S. Representative David Cicilline introduced and the U.S. House of Representatives recently passed the Equality Act (H.R. 5), legislation to enact a federal prohibition of discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity; and
WHEREAS, the Equality Act would amend Title II of the Civil Rights Act of 1964to explicitly prohibit such discrimination in education, employment, housing, credit, jury service, public spaces and services, and federally funded programs.
NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that The United States Conference of Mayors supports the Equality Act (H.R. 5), a uniform, federal mandate to protect LGBTQ Americans from discrimination; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, mayors call upon the Senate to vote to pass this legislation and urge President Donald J. Trump to sign the Equality Act into public law; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, The United States Conference of Mayors encourages its members and all elected officials to take action to ensure inclusiveness in our communities and to use our collective voices and resources to oppose LGBTQ discrimination across America.