Yesterday, the House of Representatives voted 224-206 to pass HR 5, the (grossly misnamed) “Equality Act.” Along with every House Democrat, three Republicans voted for the measure: John Katko (NY-24), Tom Reed (NY-23), and Brian Fitzpatrick (PA-1).
The vote was quickly celebrated by liberals and Democrats, while lamented by conservatives.
Though Democrat leaders have expressed optimism about the passage of the Act in the Senate, conservatives remain hopeful that the bill will be defeated there. It would take a number of “defecting” Republicans to break a legislative filibuster of the bill, which seems unlikely.
Nonetheless, lobbying efforts are kicking into high gear as both sides prepare for what is sure to be a fight in the Senate. The National Organization for Marriage, which has lobbied against the Equality Act for several years, has re-launched its website, www.inequalityact.com, and is urging people to sign a petition to the Senate urging Senators to oppose the legislation. You can sign the petition by clicking below.
