Civil Rights &
CRIMINAL JUSTICE

Senator Schatz is fighting to secure equal right for all and reform our broken criminal justice system. He’s a strong supporter of the Equality Act, legislation that amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to prohibit discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity. He also wrote legislation to correct the military records of service members discharged solely due to their sexual orientation to reflect their honorable service and reinstate the benefits they earned. 

Throughout his career, Senator Schatz has defended a woman’s constitutional right to make her own decisions about her body, and has long championed efforts to eliminate pay discrimination on the basis of gender.

On criminal justice, Senator Schatz is leading efforts to reform our broken system. He successfully wrote and passed laws that restored Pell Grants for incarcerated people, improved the compassionate release process for elderly and sick people in federal prisons, and helped take weapons of war out of our police departments and communities. Schatz is also leading efforts to expand the use of police body cameras, end prison rape, and make sure more formerly incarcerated people are given a chance to earn a higher education and rebuild their lives.