The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce sends our thanks to Speaker Nancy Pelosi and House leaders who made today’s historic passage of the Equality Act possible in the United States House of Representatives.
This act will ensure federal non-discrimination protections for LGBT people, promoting equal access to employment, housing, credit, public spaces and services, education, federally funded programs, and beyond. The NGLCC urges the United States Senate to act in the social and economic best interests of all Americans and pass the bill in their chamber.
“As NGLCC has always asserted: being open for business means being open to everyone— especially when our COVID-19 economic recovery must be equitable and inclusive of all workers and business owners. The US House clearly agreed, as it did last session, and is acting in the best interest of the entire nation with today’s reintroduction of the Equality Act. When LGBT workers and entrepreneurs are protected, they are empowered to bring their whole selves to work, which increases productivity and innovation, raises performance levels, and retains top LGBT talent,” says NGLCC Co-Founder and President Justin Nelson.
The Equality Act highlights many of the inequities that have kept tax-paying, law-abiding LGBT citizens from achieving success. Our economy simply does not achieve all it can unless everyone is included and given a fair shot. We look forward to the essential conversations that benefit LGBT business owners, including protection from discrimination in government contracting alongside other diverse-owned businesses that will follow the full passage of this bill and we strongly endorse the Equality Act.
The NGLCC is the nation’s leader on creating opportunities in the marketplace for hardworking LGBT business owners to contribute to the national economy. The Equality Act will bring the nation in line with a long-held best practice of corporate America: treating every worker and business owner with equal dignity and respect. Both this bill and the recent US Supreme Court decisions upholding LGBT workplace protections affirm the timeliness of efforts to improve LGBT business opportunities. The NGLCC has always underscored the business case for LGBT inclusion and has asserted the economic importance of non-discrimination practices at every level of local, state, and federal government.
“Equal protection for America’s LGBT employees, business owners, and job creators has an immediate bottom line benefit to every community,” says NGLCC Co-Founder & CEO Chance Mitchell. “A level playing field ensures that merit is the only factor that allows someone to succeed in business. Think of the endless opportunities to contribute to the economy that await LGBT Americans when we are no longer afraid of being fired from our jobs, evicted from our homes, denied service in restaurants and shops, and are free from discrimination in accessing credit to help expand our businesses simply for being who we are. We hope the Senate and President will do the right thing and make this essential legislation law.”
In addition to the Equality Act, NGLCC is working with Congress and the Biden-Harris White House to expand economic development opportunities for America’s 1.4 million LGBT business owners, including finally achieving the inclusion in federal contracting opportunities. This is an important step forward that will strengthen the economic benefits of the Equality Act by ensuring the American Dream is accessible to every LGBT American.
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ABOUT NGLCC:
The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce (NGLCC) is the business voice of the LGBT community and is the largest global advocacy organization specifically dedicated to expanding economic opportunities and advancements for LGBT people. NGLCC is the exclusive certification body for LGBT-owned businesses, known as Certified LGBTBEs®. www.nglcc.org @nglcc
NGLCC MEDIA CONTACT:
Jonathan Lovitz
Senior Vice President, NGLCC
press@nglcc.org | 202.499.3042
