CEC Chair Demands EEOC Leadership Resign Over Failure to Uphold the Law

Washington, DC — Today, Rep. Mark Takano (CA-39), Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, released the following statement after the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission filed motions to dismiss cases the commission had brought against businesses accused of discriminating against employees based on their gender identity and instructed staff to stop investigating gender identity discrimination complaints.

"The Equal Employment Opportunity Commission was established to protect the rights of every worker in America—not just the workers the President thinks are worth protecting," said Rep. Mark Takano, Chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus. "Acting EEOC Chair Andrea Lucas and Acting General Counsel Andrew Rogers are willfully ignoring the duties of their offices by both refusing to process workers’ gender identity discrimination claims and dropping lawsuits the EEOC had already filed against employers accused of discriminating against transgender and nonbinary employees. Their disregard for the law’s protections for transgender and nonbinary workers and unwillingness to defend the independence of the agency they are charged with serving should disqualify them from serving the American people. For the sake and safety of every worker in the United States, Acting Chair Lucas and Acting General Counsel Rogers must resign."