Three Republican leaders occupy positions of power that can determine whether LGBTQ+ equality legislation moves forward or remains stalled. They are Mike Johnson, speaker of the U.S. House of Representatives; John Thune, majority leader of the U.S. Senate; and, in my own state of Pennsylvania, Kim Ward, president pro tempore of the Pennsylvania Senate.
Their positions matter because introducing legislation is only the beginning. Before a bill can become law, legislative leaders, committees, and majorities determine whether it receives consideration and a vote on the full floor.
Let’s begin with Mike Johnson.
As Speaker of the House, Johnson has considerable influence over the legislative agenda. The federal Equality Act would expand federal civil rights protections to explicitly cover sexual orientation and gender identity in areas including employment, housing and public accommodations.
While LGBTQ+ equality has been introduced in Congress, he refuses to allow it to come to the floor for a vote. How can you change that? Vote for the Democrat for Congress in your area. If Democrats become the majority, that legislation will not only come to the floor; it will pass.
Next is John Thune.
As Senate Majority Leader, Thune helps determine which legislation the Senate considers. Even if the House passes the Equality Act, Senate approval remains necessary. And in today’s Senate, Thune and Republican senators decide if it comes to the floor for a vote
That means changing the party controlling the Senate has enormous influence over whether a bill is brought forward. Again, if you’re voting for a U.S. senator in your state, vote Democrat to bring the Equality Act to a vote.
And here in Pennsylvania, there’s Kim Ward.
Ward serves as president pro tempore of the Republican-controlled Pennsylvania Senate.
Pennsylvania provides one of the clearest examples of how LGBTQ+ equality legislation can advance through one legislative chamber and stall in another.
On April 28, 2026, the Democratic-controlled Pennsylvania House passed HB 2103 by a vote of 101–100. The bill includes provisions expanding protections against discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.
On May 7, it was referred to the Senate State Government Committee, where it remains without a final Senate vote.
Gov. Josh Shapiro has supported expanded LGBTQ+ nondiscrimination protections, meaning the Senate remains a critical legislative hurdle. Kim Ward has kept it from coming to a vote in the State Senate. In this election, vote for the Democrat for State Senate.
Now consider how long this has been going on.
In 1974, Congresswoman Bella Abzug introduced the first federal Equality Act. That was more than half a century ago.
Here in Pennsylvania, Rep. Norman Berson was among the early legislative champions of gay rights protections in the 1970s.
And the concern is clearly reflected in the latest research.
According to a new Human Rights Campaign Foundation survey, 87% of registered LGBTQ+ respondents say they definitely intend to vote in the 2026 midterm elections.
The organization estimates that 25.6 million American adults identify as LGBTQ+.
Nearly 74% of respondents identified civil rights and equal protections among the issues most important in shaping their vote. Economic stability and affordability ranked second.
The survey also found widespread concern about the future of existing legal protections, including marriage recognition.
There is an important distinction between winning rights and protecting them.
Marriage equality became the law of the land through a Supreme Court decision in 2015. Congress subsequently passed the Respect for Marriage Act in 2022, providing additional federal protections for marriage recognition.
But that law is not identical to the constitutional protection established by the Supreme Court. Nor does marriage equality eliminate discrimination in employment, housing or public accommodations.
Those are among the reasons comprehensive civil rights legislation continues to matter.
More than 50 years later, legislative leaders still exercise enormous influence over whether those protections become explicit guarantees under the law.
Mike Johnson, John Thune and Kim Ward hold different offices, but all three occupy positions central to the legislative process. All three are Republicans, and all three are standing in the doorway of equality.
Let’s show the Republican majority the door.
