Massachusetts Senator John Kerry and
New York Rep. Jerrold Nadler on Thursday introduced legislation to
outlaw discrimination against gay people in the housing and credit
markets.
The Housing Opportunities Made Equal
(HOME) Act would amend the Fair Housing Act to prohibit housing
discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, gender identity,
marital status, or source of income. It would also amend the Equal
Credit Opportunity Act to prohibit LGBT discrimination in credit
decisions.
“LGBT Americans, non-traditional
families, and the disabled should not be subjected to housing
discrimination at the hands of the unscrupulous or bigoted,” said
Nadler in a statement. “This legislation will ensure that the Fair
Housing Act and the Equal Credit Opportunity Act are actually
protecting ALL Americans and guaranteeing people of any sexual
orientation, gender identity, marital and familial status, and source
of income the right to the housing they choose.”
“It's hard to believe that in 2011,
any law-abiding, tax-paying American who can pay the rent can't live
somewhere just because of who they are,” said Kerry. “Housing
discrimination against LGBT Americans is wrong, but today in most
states there isn't a thing you can do about it. This legislation
would end discrimination that continues to hurt people.”
Calling the bill the “first of its
kind in the Senate,” Human Rights Campaign President Joe Solmonese
thanked Kerry for his backing.
“Despite a great deal of progress,
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people continue to experience
discrimination in all aspects of their lives, including one of the
most basic – finding a home for themselves and their families,”
Solmonese said.
Nadler is joined by six House members
in co-sponsoring the legislation: Representatives John Conyers of
Michigan, Edolphus Towns of New York, Steve Israel of New York, Bobby
Scott of Virginia, Alcee L. Hastings of Florida and Jared Polis of
Colorado. Co-sponsors in the Senate include Senators Tom Harkin of
Iowa, Patty Murray of Washington, Kirsten Gillibrand of New York,
Daniel Inouye of Hawaii, Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, Jeff
Merkley of Oregon and Chris Coons of Delaware.