One Month After Pulse Shooting, House Panel Hears Pro-Discrimination Bill

On Tuesday, the one-month anniversary of the Pulse nightclub shooting, hateful politicians in Congress decided to spend their time conducting a hearing on the discriminatory so-called First Amendment Defense Act (FADA). At a time when the LGBT community continues to mourn, advocates once again found themselves fighting off a shameful attack bill.

Those in favor of FADA argue that the bill would protect existing religious liberty. In reality, the legislation would provide many with a license to discriminate against LGBT people in a variety of ways. FADA could allow landlords to deny affordable housing or permit government contractors to fire employees for being a single mother or in a same-sex couple. Members of the religious community have also opposed it – more than 3,000 faith leaders and clergy have signed a letter in opposition.

Three witnesses spoke in opposition to the bill at the hearing: former Congressman Barney Frank, lead plaintiff in last year's same-sex marriage case Jim Obergefell, and law professor Katherine Franke. These advocates passionately explained the nature of FADA while countless LGBTQ people looked on from the audience.

Former Congressman Frank explained the hypocrisy of using LGBT tax dollars to fund programs that can then legally exclude members of the LGBT community. Professor Franke commented on the vague and oftentimes confusing language of the bill that could prove dangerous in the court system. Members of Congress characterized the bill as abhorrent, hurtful, and sickening.

We urge the House Oversight Committee to shelve this divisive and unnecessary bill. Hearing a bill like this, and the anti-LGBT rhetoric that comes with it, in the wake of the Pulse massacre compounds the pain of and fear violence and discrimination faced by LGBT people, and sends a particularly troubling message to LGBT youth.

Although this legislation does not directly target transgender people, National Center for Transgender Equality will not allow these efforts to promote hate to go unchecked. We will continue to fight against any efforts to promote discrimination and undermine civil rights.