Democratic leaders in the House and Senate on Wednesday reintroduced the Equality Act, a federal LGBTQ protections bill.

The Equality Act would prohibit discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity in employment, housing, public accommodations, and other key areas.

In the House, Representative Mark Takano, a Democrat from California, is the main sponsor of the legislation. The House bill (HR 15) has 214 co-sponsors, according to Congress.gov, all of whom are Democrats.

“Today I reintroduced the #EqualityAct in the House alongside my @EqualityCaucus colleagues,” Takano said in a tweet. “As the first openly gay person of color to serve in Congress, I am honored & proud to champion this legislation.”

“We cannot allow extremists in our country to once again normalize homophobia and attacks on LGBTQ people,” Takano said in other remarks, a reference to the hundreds of state bills filled this year targeting the LGBTQ community. “We can't turn away from the discrimination that still exists for so many LGBTQ people today.”

The House has twice before approved the bill – in 2019 and 2021, when the chamber was controlled by Democrats – but passage this year seems highly unlikely with Republicans in control.

A companion bill also introduced Wednesday in the Senate, where Democrats hold a slim majority, is more likely to see its first victory in that chamber.

“Progress must not be mistaken for victory,” said Senator Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat from Wisconsin. “[We must fight] until all Americans have the freedom of equality.”

President Joe Biden once again called on Congress to swiftly approve the Equality Act.