WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, U.S. Senator Angus King (I-Maine), along with 39 of his colleagues, introduced historic, comprehensive federal legislation to ban discrimination against LGBT Americans.

“It’s time that we as a nation put an end to the discrimination that finds refuge in the far corners of our laws and that manifests itself every day in the lives of those in the LGBT community who want nothing more than the basic rights and protections guaranteed to others,” Senator King said. “The Equality Act is another step forward in the steady march toward a more perfect Union – one in which a person can pursue their dreams and live their lives free from the fear of discrimination simply because of who they are or who they love.”

Despite major advances in equality for LGBT Americans, including nationwide marriage equality, in the majority of states – excluding Maine, an LGBT couple could be married in the morning and risk being fired from their jobs or evicted from their apartment in the afternoon.

The Equality Act of 2015 would ensure full federal non-discrimination equality by adding sexual orientation and gender identity to other protected classes, such as race or religion, in existing federal laws. In May 1997, then-Governor King signed into law legislation amending the Maine Human Rights Act to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.

The bill also would ban discrimination in a host of areas, including employment, housing, public accommodations, jury service, access to credit, and federal funding. The bill would also add protections against sex discrimination in parts of anti-discrimination laws where these protections had not been included previously, including in public accommodations and federal funding.

The bill, which was also introduced in the House, is led in the Senate by Senators Jeff Merkley (D-Ore.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.) and Cory Booker (D-N.J.).

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