>> host: janson wu is the director of illegal advocates and defenders group to talk about passing the quality act on a vote of 224-206 with three republicans joining all the democrats to vote yes. mr. wu what is the significance in your opinion? >> guest: it's important to be at lgbtq committed to but i would say all americans. what it's about as is making sure the american dream is a reality for everyone in our country. anybody who works hard and can tune used with their families and neighbors can also get ahead in life and so we applaud the house for passing it and we look forward to the senate taking it up next. pick it up. >> host: plus the winnakee

heard the senate can pick it up? >> guest: we expect the full hearing in the senate where the senators can finally hear from the stories of people who have been harmed by discrimination whether being evicted from their homes or being kicked out of other places like restaurants simply because of who they are ecand who they love and that's wrong and that's not american. it affords an opportunity to present the harm that happens every day to be lgbtq community. let's go the specifics of the legislation passed by the house yesterday the equality act prohibits discrimination based on, orientation and gender identity. expand the definition of quote public accommodations unquote. allows the department justice to intervene and actions on account of orientation and gender identity and prohibits the religious freedom restoration act of 1993 challenging

protections and prohibits an individual from being denied access to a facility. what does this do for legal challenges that have come up over the years when it comes to equality? >> that's a great question. i think this actually makes it easier for people who want to do the right thing, to do the right thing. most americans and most employers want to treat people with fairness and there's a patchwork of laws across the country so they are looking for congress to say really clearly that nondiscrimination because of who you are or who you love is the standard. i actually think that this will help businesses and employers do the right thing by creating a national standard. >> host: what challenges have there have been in past years that our viewers would remember and that this legislation would impact?

>> well we are still celebrating the incredible victory from the u.s. supreme court last june where three individuals who came in a one transgender woman were fired simply because of who they are and that includes a dedicated and compassionate funeral home director for year and when she told her employer should be transitioning to live as the woman she has always been they fired her. it includes folks like gerald bostick. >> that good evening everyone. at the end of this week we think back to how we began when our country crossed a very sad number and that was over 500,000 people had died of the