Washington, DC, June 15, 2015–The House of Representatives passed legislation last week that strips funding from the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) while at the same time providing protections for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer (LGBTQ) people against employment discrimination by federal contractors.
“It’s not every day that you see bad legislation passed by Congress that at the same time includes critical protections for LGBTQ people. While we commend Congressman Peters’ and other members commitment to protecting workers against employment discrimination, we condemn components of the funding bill that undermine enforcement of the Fair Housing Act, leaving open avenues of discrimination against tenants and low-income communities.
“LGBTQ people—especially LGBTQ elders, people living with HIV and AIDS, and LGBTQ people of color—disproportionately experience discrimination when compared to the general population. In fact, thirty percent of same-sex couples experience discrimination when buying or renting property. Additionally, nineteen percent of transgender people report being denied a home or apartment based on their gender identity.
“Everyone deserves access to housing free from discrimination, regardless of their race, ethnicity, religion, socio-economic status, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, disability, family status, marital status, and source of income. We look forward to working with the U.S. Senate to fix the bill to include protections against housing and employment discrimination for all,” said Rea Carey, National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund Executive Director.
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CONTACT:
Jorge Amaro
Media and Public Relations Director
213-842-7564
jamaro@thetaskforce.org