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Related: About this forumCongressional Republicans Attach North Carolina-Style Discrimination To Defense Budget
Republicans in Congress have indicated that they like whats been happening in North Carolina and want to see some of the same anti-LGBT discrimination at the federal level. Last week, they added an amendment to the National Defense Authorization Act intended to roll back LGBT protections introduced by the Obama administration in 2014 in a way that mirrors North Carolinas HB2.
Rep. Steve Russell (R-OK) introduced his amendment shortly after midnight Friday morning in the House Armed Services Committee. Though the text of his measure does not specifically mention sexual orientation and gender identity, it is that absence that actually defines what he hoped to accomplish with it.
Federal law does not explicitly offer any protections in employment, housing, or public accommodations to LGBT people, though some oversight has been inconsistently secured under protections based on sex. Thats why in 2014, President Obama issued an executive order declaring that any entity that contracts with the United States must have a policy protecting its LGBT employees. Though it did not protect all workers across the country, it still impacted some 28 million employees at some 30,000 companies and also incentivized some to establish inclusive policies that previously did not exist most notably at ExxonMobil.
Russells amendment is seemingly designed to override that order, as he confirmed in the discussion that followed its introduction. It specifically stipulates that when the Federal Government establishes any kind of contract or financial relationship with any religious-identified entity, it must provide protections and exemptions consistent with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
Rep. Steve Russell (R-OK) introduced his amendment shortly after midnight Friday morning in the House Armed Services Committee. Though the text of his measure does not specifically mention sexual orientation and gender identity, it is that absence that actually defines what he hoped to accomplish with it.
Federal law does not explicitly offer any protections in employment, housing, or public accommodations to LGBT people, though some oversight has been inconsistently secured under protections based on sex. Thats why in 2014, President Obama issued an executive order declaring that any entity that contracts with the United States must have a policy protecting its LGBT employees. Though it did not protect all workers across the country, it still impacted some 28 million employees at some 30,000 companies and also incentivized some to establish inclusive policies that previously did not exist most notably at ExxonMobil.
Russells amendment is seemingly designed to override that order, as he confirmed in the discussion that followed its introduction. It specifically stipulates that when the Federal Government establishes any kind of contract or financial relationship with any religious-identified entity, it must provide protections and exemptions consistent with the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990.
http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2016/05/02/3774488/defense-bill-anti-lgbt-amendment/
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Congressional Republicans Attach North Carolina-Style Discrimination To Defense Budget (Original Post)
icymist
May 2016
OP
Gothmog
(146,029 posts)1. We may be headed to govt. shutdown
underpants
(183,070 posts)2. If Fox News made an issue out of school buses making left hand turns
Republicans in State houses and in Congress would be falling all over themselves to introduce bills about it.
It's amazing how supposedly responsible adults can be lead around by the nose and follow the latest diversionary and divisive drama topic.