PORTLAND, Ore. (KOIN) – Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley (D) is re-introducing an “historic” bill in an effort to enshrine protections for the LGBTQ+ community under federal law.

With Merkley leading the Equality Act in the Senate and Congressional Equality Caucus Chair Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39) leading the bill in the House, the lawmakers held a press conference outside the Capitol on Tuesday advocating for the bill’s passage alongside Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY), Sen. Cory Booker (D-NK), Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Speaker Emerita Nancy Pelosi (D-CA).

The lawmakers said they re-introduced the bill as part of an effort to “push back against escalated attacks from the Trump administration, MAGA Republicans, and state legislatures on the rights and freedoms of LGBTQ+ Americans nationwide.”

“Generations of Americans have marched, voted, organized, and raised their voices to fully realize the vision of America as a land of freedom and equality for all,” Merkley said. 

“As MAGA extremists attack the rights and freedoms of our LGBTQ+ friends and neighbors, I am fighting to end this hateful discrimination, expand freedom, and open the doors of opportunity for everyone. Back in 2007, I led the fight to secure this vision for Oregonians, and it is way past time for Congress to do the same for all LGBTQ+ Americans by passing my Equality Act,” Merkley added, referencing Oregon Senate Bill 2 from 2007, which banned discrimination based on sexual orientation.

The Equality Act would amend federal anti-discrimination laws to explicitly add sexual orientation and gender identity to longstanding bans on discrimination in employment, housing, public accommodations, jury service, access to credit and federal funding.

In an interview with KOIN 6 News on Wednesday, Merkley explained, “(The Equality Act) ends discrimination against the LGBTQ community and also against women who still face discrimination in a number of areas in our society. The whole philosophy is that freedom is about the ability to participate equally and fully in every aspect of American society.”

The bill’s re-introduction comes after it previously passed in the House twice with a few Republicans voting for it; however, it’s never made it to the Senate. 

Merkley told KOIN 6 that the bill takes principles from another bill, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act of 2013, which aimed to bring workplace protections for the LGBTQ+ community.

While the House didn’t pick up the ENDA in 2013, Merkley said he and his colleagues decided now, “if the Senate’s willing to end discrimination and employment, let’s end discrimination in everything else, in financial contracts and jury duty, in public accommodations, in housing.”

“Why not end discrimination now? Why let it continue? In 29 states, there are no state protections for discrimination in housing or public accommodations by that, in other words, you can be thrown out a movie theater or a restaurant or have your lease canceled or told you can’t participate on a jury or that you can’t get a mortgage. I mean, those are absurd things, so let’s end this type of blatant discrimination aimed at making it hard for people to thrive, let them thrive, be full members of our society. They’ll be better off, and our whole nation will be better off,” Merkley told KOIN 6.

During Tuesday’s press conference, lawmakers emphasized the importance of passing the bill amid attacks against LGBTQ Americans.

“Across the country, LGBTQI+ and trans-Americans are being targeted and attacked, but we refuse to be cowed or intimidated by their hate. Instead, we reintroduce the Equality Act as our declaration that freedom and dignity are the birthright of every American. We will not rest until full equality is the law of the land,” said Rep. Takano.

“The Equality Act is necessary, urgent, and long overdue,” added Sen. Schumer. “As the Trump administration and dangerously conservative Supreme Court threaten the safety and security of LGBTQ+ individuals in the United States, it is the obligation of the Senate to ensure that everyone is treated equally under the law – a standard that the United States has long strived for but failed to perfectly meet. I am honored to help lead the reintroduction of the Equality Act and stand with the LGBTQ+ community as we continue to fight for a more equal, just, and loving world.”

The bill comes as the Trump administration has proposed ending a crisis hotline that serves LGBTQ youth and President Trump signed executive orders seeking to ban transgender athletes from women’s and girls’ sports.