AFA of PA ACTION ALERT
June 19, 2020
Issue
Efforts by Dems Pushing for Senate Vote on Equality Act Stopped – Thank These Senators
Details
After Monday’s terrible US Supreme Court decision on Title VII of the 1964 Civil Rights Act redefining ‘sex’ to include ‘sexual orientation and gender identity’, Democrats in the US Senate used a procedural rule to try and pass HR 5, the Equality Act. Remember this bill was passed in the US House with all Democrats and eight Republicans (including PA’s Brian Fitzpatrick) voting ‘aye.’ It has since been waiting for the Senate to take action. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell says he has no intention of taking the bill up – that is why the Senate Democrats tried this move.
However, three Senators immediately stepped in to bring the unanimous consent effort to a stop — Senator Mike Lee (R-UT), Senator Josh Hawley (R-MO), and Senator James Lankford (R-OK). The bill has now been sent to the Senate Judiciary Committee.
The Equality Act is anything but . . . Here are a few examples of what would happen if this becomes law:
- Racially segregated bathrooms are against the law. If HR 5 passes, bathrooms segregated by sex would be against the law.
- All schools would be required to open girls’ sports to boys who think they are girls.
- This bill specifically prevents the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993 from being used to defend those with deeply held religious beliefs concerning homosexuality and transgenderism.
- The bill nullifies federal and state religious freedom protections by handing authority to the US Department of Justice to interpret and investigate claims of LGBTQ discrimination.
Of our two Senators, we know that Senator Bob Casey would vote ‘yes,’ and a ‘no’ vote from Pat Toomey is not guaranteed.
Action Steps
Thank Senator Mike Lee, Senator Josh Hawley, and Senator James Lankford.
Email Senator Lee here
Email Senator Hawley here
Email Senator Lankford here
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