FAMILY EQUALITY COUNCIL

BUD · Budget/Appropriations

Lobbied with House Representatives to oppose White House budget proposal and the reductions to appropriations for Health and Human Services (HHS) and Department of Education. Additionally we opposed efforts in the House to insert anti-LGBTQ amendments and language into appropriations bills.

CIV · Civil Rights/Civil Liberties

For the end of 2025 we Lobbied in Support of the Fit to Serve Act and to push back on efforts to remove Protections for Transgender individuals in Federal law. WE also engaed with legislators in favor of the Equality Act to increase civil rights protections for LGBTQI+ individuals. significant effort was focused on lobbying in favor of reintroduction ofthe John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act and other nondiscrimination protections in the child welfare system for LGBTQ+ youth in care, prospective foster and adoptive parents, and families of origin. And where appropriate in other bills, we lobby for nondiscrimination protections for LGBTQ+ people and families in government services and programs, schools, the child welfare system, and reproductive healthcare.

FAM · Family issues/Abortion/Adoption

We lobbied in favor of the Expanding Access to Fertility Care for Service members and Dependents Act) as part of our ongoing efforts to support federal legislation that protections for women's bodily autonomy, reproductive freedom, and choice and reproductive freedom (including WHPA). We lobbied in favor of efforts in the Senate to pass legislation tha establishes a statutory right for an individual to access assisted reproductive technology (ART) services, such as IVF, and for a healthcare provider to provide ART services.

REL · Religion

John Lewis Every Child Deserves a Family Act and other nondiscrimination protections in the child welfare system for youth in care, families of origin, and prospective parents (particularly those who identify as LGBTQ+). This discrimination is often disguised as "religious liberty." In addition, lobbied against ongoing efforts in the House to insert anti-LGBTQ amendments and language that sometimes are couched as "religious freedom" into appropriations bills.

EDU · Education

We lobbied against ongoing efforts in the House to insert remove title IX protections for Transgender youth as well as opposed bills that call for archaic definition of gender and restrict the ability of Transgender students to participate in school sports and activities. We joined coalition efforts to meet with congressional staff to urge for continued support for inclusive policies in schools and general nondiscrimination against LGBTQ+ students and students with LGBTQ+ parents in K-12 schools.

INS · Insurance

We lobbied Members of the House of Representatives to expand access to access assisted reproductive technology (ART) services, such as IVF, and for a healthcare provider to provide ART services.