Senate parliamentarian axes $15 minimum wage from relief package

The House voted on Thursday to pass the Equality Act, an LGBTQ rights bill that prohibits discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. The bill passed on a 224-206 vote, with three Republican lawmakers joining all Democrats in supporting its passage. The Equality Act is essentially an amendment to the 1964 Civil Rights Act, and is intended to expand protections against discrimination in housing, employment, and various public spaces. The act previously passed the House in 2019, but was not taken up for a vote in the Republican-controlled Senate. Even now that Democrats narrowly control the Senate, the bill is likely to hit some roadblocks. It will likely need 60 Senate votes to overcome a legislative filibuster, and many Republicans argue it infringes on religious freedoms.

Source:
Bloomberg,
CNN