Subject: PELOSI -- Remarks at Press Conference Urging House Republicans to Hold Hearings on Equality Act
From: Democratic Leader <[email-masked]>
To: Undisclosed recipients:;
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 2016 16:27:17 +0000

<http://www.democraticleader.gov/>

    April 28, 2016

Contact: Drew Hammill/Evangeline George

202-226-7616

Pelosi Remarks at Press Conference Urging House Republicans to

Hold Hearings on Equality Act

Washington, D.C. – Democratic Leader Nancy Pelosi delivered remarks today at a press conference calling on House Republicans to hold hearings on the Equality Act to ensure full protection for LGBT Americans.  Below are the Leader’s remarks:

“Good morning, everyone.  How wonderful to see you all here for something that is so about the values of America and of our Caucus and hopefully will be of this Congress.  Just to place where we are in context from the standpoint of Congress, when we came into the majority we had four points – a four-legged stool of what we wanted to accomplish: to pass a fully inclusive hate crimes legislation.  People said to us: ‘If you take out transgender, you can pass it in a second.’  I said: ‘We take out transgender, we’re not going to pass it in a million years because we’re not going to that place.’  And we very successfully – and thank goodness for President Obama to sign the bill – we were able to accomplish just that.

“Next, we had under the President’s leadership – it would not have happened [without him].  We take a lot of credit for the hate crimes bill but the next leg of the stool would not have happened without the President’s leadership and courage, and that is the repeal of ‘Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell’.  Another piece of our agenda was to promote marriage equality in our country.  Legislatively, we couldn’t really succeed but from the courts and the rest and public opinion – of course, in the actual courts and in the court of public opinion, that victory has been won.

“So, there was one other piece: ENDA – ending discrimination in the workplace which was really a very important piece of the agenda.  But as we were seeing the successes and the momentum of especially marriage equality, we saw the opportunity to do something bigger.  And I salute [Congressman] David Cicilline for offering this legislation, the Equality Act.  It was a glorious day for all of us – many standing here – to be standing with David and with Senator Merkley, but House and Senate and [Congressman] John Lewis right there.  And to hear the words that many of us quoted of Julian Bond who talked about the fact that we needed to do this now.

“Now, the Equality Act opens up the Civil Rights Act.  That is not done casually in our country.  To alter the Civil Rights Act is a very big deal, but it is the right thing to do.  It’s about who we are as a country.  So it wasn’t just about ending discrimination in the workplace, it was in every place – whether it’s credit, or jury trial, every aspect of our lives just as it applies to everyone in our country, now would apply to the LGBT community.  We’re very excited about that and we urge the leadership to hold hearings on this legislation.  Hold hearings on the legislation.  Let’s do our job.  Bring in your witnesses, we’ll bring in ours.  Hold hearings.

“Again, I put this in the historical context, but just yesterday, which was really very sad, in the debate on the defense authorization bill – this probably has been mentioned but I want to go there – the Republicans in the Armed Services Committee voted for an amendment that would reverse the President’s executive order preventing discrimination against LGBT Americans in federal contracts.  So there really is a need for us to have hearings so we can act upon the facts and act upon our values.  So I salute, again, Congressman David Cicilline for his brave and courageous leadership on all of this.  And I’m pleased, if I may, to yield to our distinguished Whip, Mr. Hoyer.”

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Press Release Link:
http://www.democraticleader.gov/?p=23854
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