Republicans launch Trump-backed bill to permit anti-LGBT discrimination
SALT LAKE CITY, UT – DECEMBER 4: U.S. President Donald Trump jokes with Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) as he speaks at the Rotunda of the Utah State Capitol on December 4, 2017 in Salt Lake City, Utah. Trump announced the reduction in size of the Bears Ears and Grand Staircase-Escalante National Monuments which were created by Presidents Obama and Clinton. (Photo by George Frey/Getty Images)
US Republicans are launching a fresh attempt to pass a federal law permitting anti-gay marriage discrimination.
This week a group of 22 Republican Senators will reintroduce the First Amendment Defense Act, a bill that blocks the federal government from enforcing anti-discrimination protections or civil rights laws in cases where people acted based on “a sincerely held religious belief” in marriage.
The bill, spearheaded by Senator Mike Lee, is co-sponsored by some of the most outspoken foes of LGBT rights in the Senate, including Senators Ted Cruz and Marco Rubio.
As written, the bill states: “The Federal Government shall not take any discriminatory action against a person, wholly or partially on the basis that such person speaks, or acts, in accordance with a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction that marriage is or should be recognized as a union of one man and one woman”.
U.S. Sen Marco Rubio (R-FL) (L) and Sen. Ted Cruz (R-TX) (R) look on as President Donald Trump signs a bill (Photo by Alex Wong/Getty Images)
The Human Rights Campaign warns: “FADA would undermine core civil rights protections for LGBTQ people.
“This bill would undermine the government’s ability to enforce the federal protections that exist to protect LGBTQ people and their families.
“Under FADA, individuals, many businesses, and non-profit organizations—even those using taxpayer dollars contracting with the federal government—could openly violate non-discrimination policies or refuse to serve same-sex couples. As long as they claimed their actions are based on their belief about marriage, the government would have little recourse. “
Donald Trump has already pledged to sign the bill into law if it makes it to his desk, in a rare written campaign promise to conservative Catholics while on the campaign trail in 2016.
At the time, he said in a statement: “Religious liberty is enshrined in the First Amendment to the Constitution.
“It is our first liberty and provides the most important protection in that it protects our right of conscience. Activist judges and executive orders issued by Presidents who have no regard for the Constitution have put these protections in jeopardy.
“If I am elected president and Congress passes the First Amendment Defense Act, I will sign it to protect the deeply held religious beliefs of Catholics and the beliefs of Americans of all faiths.”
The pledge at the time was believed to have been orchestrated by Vice President Mike Pence, who previously supported the discriminatory law himself, and controversially signed similar legislation while Governor of Indiana.
Senator Mike Lee (Photo by Leigh Vogel/Getty Images)
Senator Lee claims: “Without FADA, federal bureaucrats are free to punish individuals or institutions that have a different definition of marriage than they do.
“Just as Congress protected people from being punished for declining to participate in abortions after Roe v Wade, the First Amendment Defense Act prevents people from being punished for their beliefs about marriage.”
Lee continues to claim that FADA “does not alter public accommodations law” to allow anti-LGBT discrimination, despite the bill blocking the government from enforcing anti-discrimination protections.
He also adds that the bill is not homophobic because it also applies to people who support gay marriage.
The Senator, who has a lengthy anti-LGBT voting record, claims: “All Federal definitions of marriage are protected under FADA. FADA would protect a liberal institution that promoted gay marriage, just as it would protect a conservative institution that wanted to promote traditional marriage.”
