Equality Under the Law

As a civil right attorney, Colin believes we must stand united against all forms of prejudice, and he will work to continue to erase all barriers to equality in our society. 

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In Congress,

 

• Colin is a strong supporter of the Respect for Marriage Act and the Equality Act. Now law, the Respect for Marriage Act enshrines marriage equality into law and Colin was proud to vote to affirm that love is love. The Equality Act is a landmark piece of legislation which would amend civil rights laws to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity with regards to employment, housing, credit, education, public spaces and services, federally funded programs, and jury service--so that everyone can participate equally in all aspects of American life.

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• Colin supports common-sense police reform: Time and time again as a nation, we’ve witnessed Black people being unjustly killed at the hands of those who are supposed to protect and serve. Now, we must face head-on the long-standing, deep racial inequities that too many Black Americans face. It is long past time we implemented common-sense reforms that will restore trust in our law enforcement and ensure justice. Colin supports The Justice in Policing Act, a common-sense and comprehensive approach to police reform which will hold police accountable, end racial profiling, change the culture of law enforcement, empower our communities, and build trust between law enforcement and our communities by addressing systemic racism and bias to help save lives.

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• Colin has fought for the rights of the LGBTQ community, including protecting transgender members of our military and recruits, who are bravely serving in the military and defending our country and has been outspoken about radical Texas Republicans’ attacks on our LGBTQ neighbors, especially transgender kids. Colin also supports efforts to ban conversion therapy, which perpetuate bigotry and cause real and lasting harm, especially to young people. Same-sex relationships are still illegal in 72 countries, and punishable by death in 8 countries. In Congress, Colin spoke out against efforts by foreign countries to enact laws and policies targeting their LGBTQ citizens and will ensure that American taxpayer funds are never used to perpetuate discrimination abroad.

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• Colin has fought to ensure equal pay for equal work. It is outrageous that in the 21st Century women still make much less than their male counterparts for comparable work. And the pay gap is even wider for women of color. In Congress, Colin voted for passage of the Paycheck Fairness Act, which would make it easier for employees to discover and seek redress for unequal pay, and bolster the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission’s investigative resources to root out pay discrimination.

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• Colin has fought to protect women’s reproductive health and freedom: Colin has stood up for the rights of women to make their own health care choices about their bodies. Those deeply personal decisions should involve a woman, her family, her beliefs, and her doctor, free from any government interference. Colin will also fight efforts to restrict access to contraception and family planning services that have helped reduce the rate of abortion and teen pregnancy, which includes standing with Planned Parenthood which provides lifesaving access to preventative care, including cancer screenings, for millions of women and men, many of whom are low-income and would have no other way to see a doctor.

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• Colin has worked on legislation to enact paid family leave and expanded child care programs, because no one should have to choose between having a family and keeping their job. Paid family leave would allow you to take time off when you have or adopt a new child, when you or a family member gets sick, or when a member of your family is deployed in the military--and then come back to work afterward. Helping to make child care affordable for working families would enable more working moms to continue to work full-time.

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• It’s long past time we end violence against women: Too many women in our country have experienced sexual harassment, sexual assault, and domestic violence. Colin proudly voted to reauthorize the Violence Against Women Act and was glad to see it passed into law. The federal government must work to ensure victims of such incidents are provided with access to support services, including counseling and health care. Colin has resisted efforts to dismantle Title IX protections for victims of sexual assault on campuses across the nation-- we need to reinforce and expand sexual violence prevention programs in our schools, not roll back protections. In Congress, Colin has continued to listen to and fight for victims. Colin will speak out against harassment, assault, and gender-based violence in all its forms.