Following Monday's landmark Supreme
Court decision affirming LGBT rights, former Vice President Joe Biden
vowed to sign the Equality Act, if elected president.
Monday's 6-3 decision protects LGBT
workers from discrimination under existing federal civil rights law.
(Related: Supreme
Court: Federal law protects LGBT workers from discrimination.)
In a statement, Biden cheered the
decision, calling it “a momentous step forward” for the United
States.
“Before today, in more than half of
states, LGBTQ+ people could get married one day and be fired from
their job the next day under state law, simply because of who they
are or who they love,” Biden said. Today's ruling “affirms that
LGBTQ+ Americans are entitled to equal rights under the law.”
The Supreme Court “has confirmed the
simple but profound American idea that every human being should be
treated with respect and dignity. That everyone should be able to
live openly, proudly, as their true selves without fear,” he
said.
Biden also reiterated his support for
the Equality Act, a federal bill that would extend LGBT protections
nationwide, saying he would sign it into law as president.