Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) speaks at a news conference for the Equality Act (Blade file photo by Michael Key)
The Equality Act, legislation that would expand the prohibition on anti-LGBTQ discrimination under federal civil rights law, will for the first-time ever advance in the U.S. Senate with a hearing set for next week, the Washington Blade has learned.
The Senate Judiciary Committee, which is chaired by Sen. Richard Durbin (D-Ill.), is set to hold a hearing on the Equality Act on March 17.
A Senate aide said the committee is still in the process of deciding who will testify at the hearing.
Although LGBTQ rights supporters who back the legislation had said they were expecting a representative of the Biden administration to testify before the committee, the Senate aide said not to expect a government witness. The relevant administration official would be the U.S. Assistant Attorney General of Civil Rights, and Biden’s pick for that role, Kristen Clarke, isn’t yet confirmed.
Sen. Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.) would likely have a role in the hearing as chief sponsor of the Equality Act. One committee member who would also likely play a prominent role is Sen. Cory Booker (D-N.J.), an original co-sponsor of the Equality Act who has been at the forefront of pushing for the legislation.
Meanwhile, each of the Republicans members of the committee will likely be hostile to the Equality Act, especially after the change in composition in the new Congress. Voices that might have been sympathetic to LGBTQ rights, such as Sen. Joni Ernst (R-Iowa), are no longer on the committee. Instead, members include Sens. Josh Hawley (R-Mo.) and Tom Cotton (R-Ark.), potential 2024 contenders who are likely to make hay over the transgender kids in sports as a wedge issue to thwart the bill.
