Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin said on Monday that he will not support the Equality Act without changes to the legislation intended to enshrine federal protections for the LGTBQ community, leaving him as the only holdout among Senate Democrats.
The West Virginia senator, perhaps the most conservative Democrat in Congress, said that he believes the bill should allow more local control after talking to officials in his state. The bill extends federal protections to people on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity.
“I strongly support equality for all people and do not tolerate discrimination of any kind. No one should be afraid of losing their job or losing their housing because of their sexual orientation,” Manchin said. “I am not convinced that the Equality Act as written provides sufficient guidance to the local officials who will be responsible for implementing it, particularly with respect to students transitioning between genders in public schools.”
Manchin said he will continue working with the bill’s leaders to write a version that he can support; he and Rep. Dan Lipinski (D-Ill.) are the only congressional Democrats that do not support the legislation. Democratic leaders unveiled the bill last week and it is expected to be considered by the House later this year.
The Republican Senate is unlikely to bring up the measure; Susan Collins of Maine is the only GOP co-sponsor. But if Democrats take back the Senate in the election next year, they may need Manchin’s vote given the strong possibility that the chamber will remain narrowly divided.
Article originally published on POLITICO Magazine
Source: https://www.politico.com/story/2019/03/18/manchin-equality-1225670
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The Article Was Written/Published By: Burgess Everett
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