Former Vice President Joe Biden addressed more than 700 people decked out in ball gowns and tuxedos Saturday at the Human Rights Campaign鈥檚 annual Columbus Dinner and said the Equality Act would be his top legislative priority if elected president.
The LGBTQ civil rights organization believes President Trump鈥檚 administration has been disastrous for their community, and after a strong showing in the midterms, the group is intent on ousting the president in 2020.
鈥淵ou鈥檝e bent the moral arc in this nation toward justice,鈥� Biden told attendees. 鈥淎nd thanks to you, our children and grandchildren are growing up in a world that鈥檚 far more just, far more open-minded, far more humane.鈥�
However Biden insisted their fight is far from done, and cast his presidential bid as a means to secure those gains.
鈥淪o much is at stake.鈥� he said, 鈥淎nd we have to come together 鈥� you鈥檙e already there 鈥� to finish this work because it is the civil rights issue of our time.鈥�
In addition to fighting Trump鈥檚 reelection, the HRC is advocating for the Equality Act. The measure, which passed the democratically controlled House of Representatives last month, would extend protections in housing, employment and public accommodations to the LGBT community.
HRC President Chad Griffin called that 鈥渁 major milestone for equality.鈥�
鈥淲e鈥檙e going to make damn sure that we turn out the more than 10 million LGBTQ voters and millions more allies to elect a pro-equality president who will sign the equality act into law,鈥� Griffin said to loud applause.
Biden committed to passing the legislation if he wins the presidency.
鈥淚鈥檓 sure I鈥檓 no different than anyone else, but I promise you if I鈥檓 elected president that鈥檒l be the first thing I ask to be done,鈥� Biden said.
Biden nodded to local LGBT anti-discrimination provisions before arguing in favor of a statewide measure called the Ohio Fairness Act. has been introduced regularly in the Ohio General Assembly since 2008 but hasn鈥檛 been able to gain approval.
More recently the Ohio Chamber of Commerce offered its support鈥攁 point Biden was quick to highlight.
鈥淚t鈥檚 not only morally sound policy, from that standpoint, it鈥檚 also smart economics. Look at what the chamber is doing. Look at what the business community is doing,鈥� he said. 鈥淕uess what, they figured it out鈥攖hey got it.鈥�
Biden is one of two dozen major candidates who have declared their candidacy for the Democratic nomination. HRC hasn鈥檛 endorsed a presidential candidate yet.
Even before entering the field, Biden was seen as a potential frontrunner, and his polling so far has been favorable. But as a long-serving senator and former Vice President, Biden enjoys greater name recognition than most of the field.
