[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 163 (2017), Part 5]
[House]
[Page 6314]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




    FULLY CODIFYING CIVIL RIGHTS PROTECTIONS FOR THE LGBTQ COMMUNITY

  (Mr. KENNEDY asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute and to revise and extend his remarks.)
  Mr. KENNEDY. Mr. Speaker, I stand proudly today with my colleagues to 
reintroduce the Equality Act, a bill that would finally fully codify 
civil rights protections for the LGBTQ community.
  It is unthinkable to me that this bill finds opposition in this 
Chamber, where we stand less than a mile from a sacred American promise 
that is etched in stone above the doors of the Supreme Court: ``Equal 
justice under law.'' There is no asterisk. There is no condition or 
compromise. No caveat. It is a promise that is afforded to each of us; 
that no one--man, woman, political candidate, or President--can look us 
in the eye and say that you do not count or you are unworthy.
  Some of the most shameful moments of our Nation's history have come 
when we have broken that promise, when we say that everyone matters 
except you. Every life counts except yours.
  It is time for this body to take a stand and say everyone counts in 
this country today, on our watch today.

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