[Page H2657]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      FREEDOM AND EQUALITY FOR ALL

  (Ms. WEXTON asked and was given permission to address the House for 1 
minute and to revise and extend her remarks.)
  Ms. WEXTON. Madam Speaker, early this year, I made the decision to 
hang the transgender flag in front of my office. It was meant to be a 
small and simple gesture of solidarity.
  Overnight, my office was flooded with messages of gratitude. The flag 
outside of my office had gone viral. Folks from all over called, 
emailed, wrote, and DM'd my office to thank me for doing it.
  But today, we all have an historic opportunity to support substantive 
legislation that will be transformative for millions of Americans.
  The Equality Act is a bipartisan bill that will provide 
comprehensive, Federal nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ 
individuals in employment, housing, credit, education, and much more, 
because today our LGBTQ brothers and sisters can marry the person they 
love on Sunday and, for that reason alone, be evicted from their 
housing or fired from their jobs on Monday. That isn't right, but the 
Equality Act can fix it.
  To my colleagues, let's extend the full promise of this Nation to 
every LGBTQ American. Let's pass the Equality Act.

                          ____________________