WASHINGTON D.C. — (JRL CHARTS) — Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va) says No to LGBTQ Protection Bill last Monday.  The Democratic senator from West Virginia said Monday that he would be the only Democrat in the Senate to oppose a nondiscrimination bill meant to expand federal protections for the LGBTQ community.

Sen. Manchin (D-W.Va) singled out a group that has the fewest federal protections in America,  transgender youth.

Senator Joe Manchin released the following statement:

“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. But after speaking with local officials in his home state, I was 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.

I will continue working with the sponsors of the bill to build broad bipartisan support and find a viable path forward for these critical protections so that I can vote in support of this bill.”

Joseph Cohen, executive director of ACLU West Virginia shot back at Manchin saying…“We should be doing everything we can to end invidious discrimination and to protect LGBTQ people. The message of the Equality Act is clear and one that leaders from across the political spectrum ― including Senator Manchin ― should be able to support: ‘Don’t discriminate. Period.’” said Cohen.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) introduced the Equality Act last week. The LGBTQ protection bill presented is a means to amend the Civil Rights Act of 1964.

The LGBTQ Protection Bill would “explicitly prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity in education, employment, housing, credit, federal jury service, public accommodations and the use of federal funds.”

The U.S. House of Representatives will take up the bill later this year. However at this stage, there is no clear support for the LGBTQ Protection Bill in the Republican majority in the Senate.

Senator Joe Manchin Refuses to Vote for LGBTQ Protection Bill

The Human Rights Campaign and Trans People of Color found in 2017, evidence of rampant violence against transgender people and said that 4 in 10 transgender adults have reported attempted suicide.

The White House has also unleashed a political assault against the transgender community with its ban on transgender people from serving in the military.

Article by: Paul Goldberg, Staff Writer

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