During Tuesday night's raucous State of
the Union address, President Joe Biden reiterated his call to pass
the Equality Act, a federal LGBTQ protections bill.
“I have signed over 300 bipartisan
laws since becoming president,” Biden told lawmakers gathered in
the House. “From reauthorizing the Violence Against Women Act, to
the Electoral Count Reform Act, to the Respect for Marriage Act that
protects the right to marry the person you love.”
“Here in the people's house, it's our
duty to protect all the people's rights and freedoms.”
“Make no mistake, if Congress passes
a national abortion ban, I will veto it. Let's also pass the
bipartisan Equality Act to ensure LGBTQ Americans, especially
transgender young people, can live with safety and dignity,” he
said.
The Equality Act seeks to add sexual
orientation and gender identity to current civil rights laws. It
cleared the House in 2021 with the support of three Republicans.
Biden has previously called for passage
of the Equality Act, including during his first joint address to
Congress in 2021.
Attending Tuesday's speech as guests of
First Lady Dr. Jill Biden were Gina and Heidi Nortonsmith, the
plaintiffs in the lawsuit that legalized same-sex marriage in
Massachusetts.