The United States was founded on the principle of liberty and justice for all. However, our nation has not always lived up to this high ideal. Congress must act to ensure this most American value is made a reality.

Workplace Equality
Job opportunities should be equally available to workers of equal ability, regardless of gender. That’s why I voted for and was an original cosponsor of the Paycheck Fairness Act. This bill would prohibit employers from screening applicants based on salary history, make wage nondisclosure agreements illegal and strengthen penalties for employer retaliation against workers who assert their rights. The Paycheck Fairness Act passed the House of Representatives in April 2021, but Republicans voted against it in the Senate and it failed to cross the 60 vote threshold.

In addition, I’ve fought to extend universal, gender-neutral family and medical leave as a supporter and cosponsor of the Family and Medical Insurance Leave (FAMILY) Act. This bill would provide eligible individuals with up to 12 weeks of paid leave for a pregnancy, the birth or adoption of a child, recovery from a serious illness or the care of a seriously ill family member.

Criminal Justice
Racial and other minorities face several disparities in our criminal justice system and Congress must work to level the playing field. In the 115th Congress, I voted to pass the FIRST STEP Act. This legislation, which became law in 2018, expands judicial discretion in sentencing non-violent, first-time drug offenders and eases the federal “three strikes” rule. It also allows inmates to receive “earned time credits” for participation in rehabilitative and vocational programs. These credits will allow participating inmates to earn early release to a halfway house or home confinement.

In the 116th Congress, I cosponsored the Fair Chance Act of 2019, which prohibits federal agencies and federal contractors from requesting a job applicant’s criminal history before extending a conditional offer of employment. This moderate step enables people with a criminal record to get their foot in the door while allowing federal agencies and contractors to rescind offers if it’s later discovered a prospective employee was convicted of a disqualifying crime.

LGBTQ+ Rights
Though America has made great strides toward equality for LGBTQ+ people, much work remains to ensure their rights are respected. That’s why I was proud to vote for and be an original cosponsor of the Equality Act. This bill would extend civil rights protections against discrimination in credit, education, employment, federal funding, housing, jury service and public accommodations to LGBTQ+ Americans. Though the House passed the Equality Act in February 2021, now it waits for a vote in the Senate.

I also supported and voted for the PRIDE Act of 2019, which amends the Internal Revenue Code to provide for equal treatment of same sex married couples and waives the statute of limitations to allow these couples to amend past filings to married filing jointly.

In addition, I’ve cosponsored the John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act. This bill would prohibit the exclusion of LGBTQ+ youth from child welfare programs authorized under the Social Security Act.

Voting
Voting rights are civil rights, plain and simple. Last year, I cosponsored and voted to pass the For the People Act. Among other key reforms, this bill would require states to make voting more accessible to disabled voters, restore voting rights to felons upon completion of their sentence and prohibit sudden, last-minute purges of voter rolls. The For the People Act passed the House in March 2021, now it waits for a vote in the Senate.

Please know I’ll never stop fighting to protect the civil rights of everyone in America—no matter who they are, what they look like or whom they love.