Equality Act
Sponsored By: Representative Takano
Introduced
Summary
Adds sexual orientation and gender identity to the federal definition of sex and creates a uniform, nationwide nondiscrimination framework across employment, housing, credit, education, public accommodations, jury service, and programs that receive federal funds. The bill would harmonize definitions, remedies, and rules of construction across multiple civil rights statutes to make enforcement and claims more consistent.
Show full summary
- Workers: Private and federal employees would gain explicit protection from discrimination for sexual orientation and gender identity. The bill would update Title VII rules, expand remedies, and adjust bona fide occupational qualification rules to account for gender identity.
- People using public places, students, and tenants: Public accommodations and education laws would explicitly bar discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Fair Housing Act would adopt the same definitions and protections to cover renters and buyers.
- Borrowers, juries, and enforcement: The Equal Credit Opportunity Act would bar credit discrimination on these bases. Jury selection rules would be updated to prevent discrimination. The bill would also prevent the Religious Freedom Restoration Act from being used to challenge enforcement under the covered civil rights laws.
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Bill Overview
Analyzed Economic Effects
5 provisions identified: 5 benefits, 0 costs, 0 mixed.
Stronger job protections for LGBTQ workers
If enacted, this would add sexual orientation and gender identity to federal job discrimination rules. Employers would need to treat workers as qualified in line with their gender identity when sex is a job requirement. It would apply to private and federal jobs. These changes would take effect upon enactment.
Single federal rules for sex and gender
If enacted, this would set one federal definition for sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity. It would say sex includes pregnancy, sex stereotypes, and sex traits, and would bar using RFRA as a defense in covered civil‑rights cases. People would not be denied access to shared facilities consistent with their gender identity. These rules would apply across major civil‑rights laws and be extended to federal workers, congressional staff, and jurors. Changes would take effect upon enactment.
Fair credit rules for LGBTQ borrowers
If enacted, lenders would be barred from denying credit or changing terms because of sexual orientation or gender identity. The bill’s definitions would apply to all parts of a credit deal. These changes would take effect upon enactment.
No discrimination in stores and services
If enacted, this would ban discrimination in public places because of sex, sexual orientation, or gender identity. It would cover stores, online sellers, banks, shelters, health care, travel, and transportation. An “establishment” would include individuals and not be limited to a physical place. These rules would take effect upon enactment.
Housing protections for LGBTQ renters and buyers
If enacted, this would add sexual orientation and gender identity to Fair Housing Act protections. Landlords, sellers, and housing services could not deny, harass, or intimidate based on these traits. It would use the bill’s unified definitions. These changes would take effect upon enactment.
Sponsors & CoSponsors
Sponsor
Takano
CA • D
Cosponsors
Crockett
TX • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Crow
CO • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Davids (KS)
KS • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Veasey
TX • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Velazquez
NY • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Whitesides
CA • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Williams (GA)
GA • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Wilson (FL)
FL • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Walkinshaw
VA • D
Sponsored 9/26/2025
Adams
NC • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Aguilar
CA • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Amo
RI • D
Sponsored 4/29/2025
Ansari
AZ • D
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Auchincloss
MA • D
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Balint
VT • D
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Barragan
CA • D
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Beatty
OH • D
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Bell
MO • D
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Bera
CA • D
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Beyer
VA • D
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Bishop
GA • D
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Bonamici
OR • D
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Boyle (PA)
PA • D
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Brown
OH • D
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Brownley
CA • D
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Budzinski
IL • D
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Bynum
OR • D
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Carbajal
CA • D
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Carson
IN • D
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Carter (LA)
LA • D
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Casar
TX • D
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Case
HI • D
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Casten
IL • D
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Castor (FL)
FL • D
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Castro (TX)
TX • D
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Cherfilus-McCormick
FL • D
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Chu
CA • D
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Cisneros
CA • D
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Clark (MA)
MA • D
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Clarke (NY)
NY • D
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Cleaver
MO • D
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Clyburn
SC • D
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Cohen
TN • D
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Conaway
NJ • D
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Connolly
VA • D
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Correa
CA • D
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Costa
CA • D
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Courtney
CT • D
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Craig
MN • D
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Davis (IL)
IL • D
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Dean (PA)
PA • D
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DeGette
CO • D
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DeLauro
CT • D
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DelBene
WA • D
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Deluzio
PA • D
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DeSaulnier
CA • D
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Dexter
OR • D
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Dingell
MI • D
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Doggett
TX • D
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Elfreth
MD • D
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Escobar
TX • D
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Espaillat
NY • D
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Evans (PA)
PA • D
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Fields
LA • D
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Figures
AL • D
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Fletcher
TX • D
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Foster
IL • D
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Foushee
NC • D
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Frankel, Lois
FL • D
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Friedman
CA • D
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Frost
FL • D
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Garamendi
CA • D
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Garcia (CA)
CA • D
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Garcia (TX)
TX • D
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Garcia (IL)
IL • D
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Gillen
NY • D
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Golden (ME)
ME • D
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Goldman (NY)
NY • D
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Gomez
CA • D
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Gonzalez, V.
TX • D
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Goodlander
NH • D
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Gottheimer
NJ • D
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Gray
CA • D
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Green, Al (TX)
TX • D
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Harder (CA)
CA • D
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Hayes
CT • D
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Rescom. Hernández, Pablo Jose [D-PR-At Large]
PR • D
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Himes
CT • D
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Horsford
NV • D
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Houlahan
PA • D
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Hoyer
MD • D
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Hoyle (OR)
OR • D
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Huffman
CA • D
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Ivey
MD • D
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Jackson (IL)
IL • D
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Jacobs
CA • D
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Jayapal
WA • D
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Jeffries
NY • D
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Johnson (TX)
TX • D
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Johnson (GA)
GA • D
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Kamlager-Dove
CA • D
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Kaptur
OH • D
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Keating
MA • D
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Kelly (IL)
IL • D
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Kennedy (NY)
NY • D
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Khanna
CA • D
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Krishnamoorthi
IL • D
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Landsman
OH • D
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Larsen (WA)
WA • D
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Larson (CT)
CT • D
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Latimer
NY • D
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Lee (PA)
PA • D
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Lee (NV)
NV • D
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Leger Fernandez
NM • D
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Levin
CA • D
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Liccardo
CA • D
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Lieu
CA • D
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Lofgren
CA • D
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Lynch
MA • D
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Magaziner
RI • D
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Mannion
NY • D
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Matsui
CA • D
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McBath
GA • D
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McBride
DE • D
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McClain Delaney
MD • D
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McClellan
VA • D
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McCollum
MN • D
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McDonald Rivet
MI • D
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McGarvey
KY • D
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McGovern
MA • D
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McIver
NJ • D
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Meeks
NY • D
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Menendez
NJ • D
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Meng
NY • D
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Mfume
MD • D
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Min
CA • D
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Moore (WI)
WI • D
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Morelle
NY • D
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Morrison
MN • D
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Moskowitz
FL • D
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Moulton
MA • D
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Mrvan
IN • D
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Mullin
CA • D
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Nadler
NY • D
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Neal
MA • D
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Neguse
CO • D
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Norcross
NJ • D
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Del. Norton, Eleanor Holmes [D-DC-At Large]
DC • D
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Ocasio-Cortez
NY • D
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Olszewski
MD • D
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Omar
MN • D
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Pallone
NJ • D
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Panetta
CA • D
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Pappas
NH • D
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Pelosi
CA • D
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Perez
WA • D
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Peters
CA • D
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Pettersen
CO • D
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Pingree
ME • D
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Del. Plaskett, Stacey E. [D-VI-At Large]
VI • D
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Pocan
WI • D
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Pou
NJ • D
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Pressley
MA • D
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Quigley
IL • D
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Ramirez
IL • D
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Randall
WA • D
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Raskin
MD • D
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Riley (NY)
NY • D
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Rivas
CA • D
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Ross
NC • D
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Ruiz
CA • D
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Ryan
NY • D
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Salinas
OR • D
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Sanchez
CA • D
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Scanlon
PA • D
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Schakowsky
IL • D
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Schneider
IL • D
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Scholten
MI • D
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Schrier
WA • D
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Scott (VA)
VA • D
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Scott, David
GA • D
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Sewell
AL • D
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Sherman
CA • D
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Sherrill
NJ • D
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Simon
CA • D
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Smith (WA)
WA • D
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Sorensen
IL • D
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Soto
FL • D
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Stansbury
NM • D
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Stanton
AZ • D
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Stevens
MI • D
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Strickland
WA • D
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Subramanyam
VA • D
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Suozzi
NY • D
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Swalwell
CA • D
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Sykes
OH • D
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Thanedar
MI • D
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Thompson (CA)
CA • D
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Thompson (MS)
MS • D
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Titus
NV • D
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Tlaib
MI • D
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Tokuda
HI • D
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Tonko
NY • D
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Torres (NY)
NY • D
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Torres (CA)
CA • D
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Trahan
MA • D
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Tran
CA • D
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Underwood
IL • D
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Vargas
CA • D
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Vasquez
NM • D
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Vindman
VA • D
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Wasserman Schultz
FL • D
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Waters
CA • D
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Watson Coleman
NJ • D
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Grijalva
AZ • D
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Roll Call Votes
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