The Human Rights Campaign, along with tens of thousands of advocates, works around the clock to lobby members of Congress on critical legislation that would greatly affect the lives of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer Americans.
Legislation and Policies HRC Supports:
Customer Non-Discrimination Act
The Customer Non-Discrimination Act would amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination based on sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity in public accommodations. Additionally, it would update the public spaces and services covered in current law to include retail stores, services such as banks and legal services, healthcare providers, and transportation services.
Do No Harm Act
The Do No Harm Act clarifies that the Religious Freedom Restoration Act is intended to protect religious freedom without allowing the infliction of harm on other people. It would amend RFRA in order to restore the original intent of the legislation by specifically exempting areas of law where RFRA has been used to bypass federal protections.
The Dream Act would provide Dreamers the opportunity to apply for permanent legal status and eventually become eligible for U.S. citizenship.
End Racial and Religious Profiling Act
The End Racial and Religious Profiling Act would prohibit federal, state, and local law enforcement from targeting a person based on actual or perceived race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, gender, gender identity, or sexual orientation without trustworthy information that is relevant to linking a person to a crime.
The Equality Act would provide consistent and explicit anti-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people across key areas of life, including employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service.
Every Child Deserves a Family Act
The Every Child Deserves a Family Act would prohibit any public child welfare agency receiving federal financial assistance from discriminating against any potential foster or adoptive family on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation, gender identity or marital status.
Fair and Equal Housing Act
The Fair and Equal Housing Act would provide consistent and explicit non-discrimination protections for LGBTQ people in housing by adding “sexual orientation” and “gender identity” as protected characteristics under the Fair Housing Act.
Freedom from Discrimination in Credit Act
The Freedom from Discrimination in Credit Act would amend the Equal Credit Opportunity Act to prohibit discrimination in the provision of credit based on sexual orientation or gender identity.
Global Respect Act
The Global Respect Act would provide a means to prevent individuals who violate the human rights of LGBTQ people from entry into the United States.
Gun Violence Prevention Measures
The volatile combination of a lack of strong laws to prevent gun violence and animosity towards the LGBTQ community increases the dangers faced by LGBTQ people. The Human Rights Campaign supports a number of commonsense gun violence prevention measures to address this issue.
Healthy Families Act
The Healthy Families Act would help relieve many hardworking Americans who struggle to meet their own health care needs and the needs of their family members by providing employees the opportunitiy to earn a minimum of seven paid sick days per year to care for their families or themselves.
International Human Rights Defense Act
The International Human Rights Defense Act of 2014 would build an unprecedented framework into U.S. diplomacy to protect LGBTQ rights worldwide, creating a Special Envoy within the U.S. State Department who would serve as principle advisor to the Secretary of State on LGBTQ issues.
Juror Non-Discrimination Act/Jury ACCESS Act
The Juror Non-Discrimination Act and Jury Access for Capable Citizens and Equality in Service Selection (ACCESS) Act would prohibit attorneys from seeking to strike potential federal jurors based on their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Real Education for Healthy Youth Act
The Real Education for Healthy Youth Act would provide grants for comprehensive sex education to public or private entities that focus on adolescent health and education or have experience with training sex educators. Funding would also be provided for teacher training on sex education. The bill would require, rather than merely encourage, inclusiveness of LGBTQ youth in sex education.
REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act
The REPEAL HIV Discrimination Act would require a review of federal and state laws that impose criminal liability on individuals with HIV.
Safe Schools Improvement Act
The Safe Schools Improvement Act would amend the Elementary and Secondary Education Act (ESEA) to require school districts in states that receive ESEA funds to adopt codes of conduct specifically prohibiting bullying and harassment, including on the basis of race, color, national origin, sex, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, and religion.
Student Non-Discrimination Act
The Student Non-Discrimination Act would prohibit any school program or activity receiving federal financial assistance from discriminating against any public school student on the basis of actual or perceived sexual orientation or gender identity.
Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act
The Therapeutic Fraud Prevention Act would officially classify the provision and advertising of conversion therapy in exchange for monetary compensation as fraudulent practices.
Transgender Military Service
Despite the Trump-Pence Administration’s attempt to enact a discriminatory ban on transgender military service, transgender service members are currently able to serve their country openly in every branch of the military. However, their careers remain at risk until legal challenges to the ban are resolved in federal courts.
Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act
The Tyler Clementi Higher Education Anti-Harassment Act would require colleges and universities receiving federal student aid funding to prohibit harassment and to establish a grant program to support campus anti-harassment programs.
Voting Rights Advancement Act
The Voting Rights Advancement Act would strengthen voting rights by expanding and strengthening the government's ability to respond to voting discrimination.
Legislation HRC Opposes:
American Health Care Act
The American Health Care Act (would repeal the core provisions of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), the 2010 landmark healthcare reform law that has extended healthcare coverage to an additional 22 million Americans, including many who are LGBTQ.
Civil Rights Uniformity Act
The Civil Rights Uniformity Act would undermine existing federal protections for transgender people and would leave many transgender Americans vulnerable to discrimination without legal recourse.
Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act
The Child Welfare Provider Inclusion Act would undermine the government’s ability to ensure child welfare organizations make decisions based on the best interest of children.
First Amendment Defense Act
The First Amendment Defense Act is tantamount to state sanctioned discrimination and would allow non-profit organizations and businesses contracting with the federal government to circumvent critical federal protections designed to protect same-sex couples and their families from harmful discrimination.