Congress and Senate hold hearings on LGBTQ+ rights and Equality Act.

The Equality Act, which would protect LGBTQ+ people from discrimination, has been reintroduced in Congress by four Democratic legislators amid a nationwide rise in anti-LGBTQ+ sentiment. The bill would expand federal civil rights law to prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in areas such as public facilities, education, federal funding, employment, housing, credit, and the jury system. Almost 500 anti-LGBTQ+ bills have been introduced so far this year, according to the American Civil Liberties Union. The HRC has declared a state of emergency for LGBTQ+ people in the United States earlier this month.