Bicameral group push for LGBTQ protections bill

Bicameral Democratic group join forces on Capitol Hill to push through a bill that would enshrine LGBTQ protections in the nation's labor and civil rights laws, a top priority of President Joe Biden.

The Equality Act amends existing civil rights law to explicitly include sexual orientation and gender identification as protected characteristics.

The protections would extend to employment, housing, loan applications, education, public accommodations and other areas.

Supporters say the law before the House on Thursday is long overdue and would ensure that every person is treated equally under the law.

Republicans broadly oppose the legislation, echoing concerns from religious groups and social conservatives who worry the bill would force people to take actions that contradict their religious beliefs.

They warn that faith-based adoption agencies seeking to place children with a married mother and father could be forced to close, or that private schools would have to hire staff whose conduct violates tenets of the school's faith.

The House passed the Equality Act in the last Congress with unanimous Democratic support and the backing of eight Republicans, but Donald Trump's White House opposed the measure and it was not considered in the Senate, where 60 votes will be needed to overcome procedural hurdles.

Democrats are trying to revive it now that they have control of Congress and the White House, but passage appears unlikely in the evenly divided Senate.