[Congressional Record Volume 170, Number 19 (Thursday, February 1, 2024)]
[House]
[Page H374]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




           COMMEMORATING 25 YEARS OF FAIRNESS IN MY HOMETOWN

  (Mr. McGARVEY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. McGARVEY. Mr. Speaker, I rise today to commemorate 25 years of 
fairness in my hometown of Louisville, Kentucky.
  When I was a kid, it wasn't uncommon for someone to be fired just for 
being gay or kicked out of their home or denied service in a store or 
restaurant. We don't know how common it was because there was no 
official body to report it to, because it was completely legal. It is 
painful to think about.
  Fortunately, 25 years ago this week, a citizen-led effort in 
Louisville resulted in Kentucky's first fairness ordinance, one of the 
first in the Nation, banning discrimination against our LGBTQ+ 
neighbors.
  I thank everyone who courageously fought for this life-changing 
achievement way back in 1999.
  Today, 24 Kentucky communities and 31 States have these protections. 
It is time for the rest of our Commonwealth and our country to follow 
Louisville's lead.
  For my entire adult life, fairness has been a reality in Louisville, 
and we are all better for it.

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