The pharmacy/drug store chain is the latest corporate backer of Congressman David Cicilline’s Equality Act bill that would extend Civil Rights protections to gay, lesbian and transgender Americans.

“As a leading health care company, we are proud to endorse the Equality Act and stand with Congressman Cicilline in this effort,” said David Casey, a vice president at CVS Health.

“We have long supported efforts to improve the lives of LGBT Americans by advocating for equal rights and embracing the rich diversity of our colleagues, customers and suppliers,” Casey said. “It is part of our culture to make every individual feel equally valued, respected and appreciated. We will continue to advance our efforts to promote a diverse workforce and recognize that a workplace that embraces diversity and inclusion is good for business, helps attract and retain talent and enables us to fulfill our purpose of helping all people on their path to better health.”

CVS joins 60 other of America’s biggest companies in supporting the legislation. The companies include: Google, Facebook, Twitter, Airbnb, Coca-Cola, Hewlitt-Packart, IBM, Nike and Monsanto, according to a list provided by Cicilline.

“The companies backing the Equality Act have operations in all 50 states, bring in a combined $1.9 trillion in revenue, and provide 4.2 million jobs in the United States,” said Cicilline spokesman Richard Luchette. “They are providing critical leadership to help expand support for the Equality Act and build momentum to ensure that LGBT Americans can enjoy the same rights and opportunities as everyone else.”

Cicilline introduced the Equality Act in July. It’s intended to extend Civil Rights protections to LGBTQ Americans by explicitly outlawing discrimination in public accommodations, housing, employment and federal funding. In more than half of the states it is legal to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation, and deny them services, employment, or housing.

Nothing would change at CVS if and when the Equality Act becomes law, said company spokesman Joseph Goode.

“From a CVS Health ‘workplace’ perspective, the Equality Act wouldn’t change anything. In fact, our employee values, policies and benefits are quite ahead of the curve when it comes to supporting LGBT equality,” he said. “There is, however, a ‘community’ upside to the Equality Act for our LGBT employees as the legislation aims to extend anti-discrimination protections to LGBT individuals in public accommodations, such as housing, employment, federal funding, education, credit, etc.”

CVS made international news and won the praise of First Lady Michelle Obama when it announced in 2014 it would stop selling tobacco products. Today CVS also announced it would invest $50 million in an anti-smoking ad campaign, according to Fortune. In November, the Human Rights Campaign Foundation gave CVS a perfect score on its Equality Index for the second year in a row in 2015. CVS offers employees “health insurance coverage for the medically necessary health care services that transgender people need, including transition-related treatment,” according to a news release.

“Today, in most states, an LGBT person can get married on Saturday, post photos of their wedding on Sunday, and then get fired from their job or thrown out of their apartment on Monday just because of who they are,” said Cicilline. “This is completely wrong. Fairness and equality are core American values, and it’s time we affirm these values by passing the Equality Act into law. I want to thank CVS Health, one of Rhode Island’s leading job creators, for standing with us in this fight today.”

On the evening in question City Councilor Sandra Cano introduced a resolution endorsing the Equality Act, (HR 3185) a bill introduced by Representative David Cicilline in the US House of Representatives.

Cicilline’s bill “amends the Civil Rights Act of 1964 to include sex, sexual orientation, and gender identity among the prohibited categories of discrimination or segregation in places of public accommodation.” Cano’s resolution, which passed the Pawtucket City Council unanimously, was a mostly symbolic gesture in support for Cicilline’s efforts, and Pawtucket was the first city council in the state to pass such a resolution.

But though the resolution passed with a 7-0 vote, there were actually eight city councilors in attendance at the council meeting that evening. One, Terrence Mercer, a Democrat, was present for every vote before and after Cano’s resolution, but can be seen in the video below getting up and leaving the council chambers when the resolution came up for discussion. He is back right after the resolution passes to vote on the rest of the evening’s agenda.

The minutes from the meeting read:

COUNCILOR MERCER LEAVES THE CHAMBERS AT 8:22 P.M.

THE FOLLOWING RESOLUTION IS READ AND PASSED ON A ROLL CALL VOTE, AS FOLLOWS:

AYES – President Moran, Councilors Bray, Cano, Hodge, Rudd, Tetreault and Wildenhain.

NOES – 0.

588   RESOLUTION IN SUPPORT OF PASSAGE IN THE UNITED STATES CONGRESS OF HR-3185 ENTITLED THE EQUALITY ACT.

COUNCILOR MERCER RETURNS TO THE CHAMBERS AT 8:25 P.M.

In the video, one can see Mercer getting up and leaving the room as the issue comes up. After a short discussion, the vote is taken, with the secretary turning in surprise to notice that Mercer has left the room. Though we don’t see Mercer re-enter the city council chambers, around one minute later Mercer can be seen and he votes on the next agenda item.

Update: In an email, Councilor Mercer stated, “If you read the minutes in their entirety, you will see the council had just voted on a very important tax resolution dealing with a housing project in my district. That resolution is a key to rehabbing a very large public housing campus with hundreds of low-income residents. I left the chamber to speak to the developers and the city’s Housing Authority director about the project.”

UPDATE: In a text message, Mercer said, “For the record I am in full support of Congressman Cicilline’s legislation. No one should be made to endure discrimination regardless of race, ethnicity, gender or orientation.”

It should not have been hard to vote for a symbolic resolution in support of a national bill protecting the rights of LGBT citizens across the country. These are the same rights currently protected by law in Rhode Island, though most states lack these protections, as can be seen in the ACLU map below.

“In most states, you can get married on Saturday, post your wedding photos to Facebook on Sunday, and then get fired on Monday just because of who you are. This is completely wrong,” Cicilline said in a press conference. “Fairness and equality are core American values. No American citizen should ever have to live their lives in fear of discrimination.”

Currently, there are 31 states where it is legal to discriminate against someone based on their sexual orientation, and deny them services, employment, or housing.

Cicilline, who is one of seven openly gay members of Congress, added that the Equality Act is common sense legislation that will help to resolve the current patchwork of anti-discrimination laws all over the country.

“Partial equality is not acceptable. It’s time for a comprehensive bill that protects LGBT Americans,” he said.

The Human Rights Campaign, a non-partisan LGBT advocacy group, found that 63 percent of LGBT individuals have been the targets of discrimination in their personal lives. LGBT students have also been made to feel unsafe at school- 82 percent have been verbally harassed, while 38 percent have been physically harassed.

Other members of Congress spoke on the bill as well. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D- WI) said that she believes America is ready for such a comprehensive step.

“No American should be at risk of being fired, evicted from their home, or denied services because of who they are, or who they love,” she said. “We also need to make sure that every American has a fair chance to earn a living and provide for their families.”

Senator Cory Booker (D- NJ), said the act is based on purely American values, even if the reason for its existence isn’t very American at all.

“This legislation that we are introducing is something that resonates with the best of who we are as a nation,” he said. “But the need for this legislation reflects the worst of who we are.”

Representative John Lewis (D-GA) said the act is long overdue, and provides justice for LGBT Americans. He said it will provide them dignity and respect, without fear of being denied things they need for being who they are. Democratic Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) echoed these sentiments, saying that he hopes that Congress will take immediate action to pass the bill.

Many outside of government were invited to come share their stories about how they have been denied services just for being gay or transgender. One couple’s pediatrician would not treat their daughter just because they were lesbians, while a transgender man from Texas was fired from his job after being “outed.” Many advocacy groups showed their support as well, including the Human Rights Campaign, the Center for American Progress, and the National Center for Transgender Equality.

“This is a national problem that needs a national solution, and the Equality Act is that solution,” said Winnie Satchelberg, the Executive Vice President of the Center for American Progress.

Only 19 states provide employment and housing protections for LGBT Americans. 17 states prohibit public accommodation discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity, and four prohibit it based solely upon sexual orientation. Prohibitions for education discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity exist in 14 states.