AFA of PA ACTION ALERT
Issue
These PA Congressmen Want Christian Organizations to Be Forced to Hire Homosexuals/Transgenders
Details
Yesterday openly homosexual US Representative Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.) introduced an amendment to HR 5055, an Energy Department appropriations bill. It would make President Obama’s executive order issued on July 21, 2014 federal law which could not be simply rescinded by an incoming president. The executive order and amendment prohibits federal contractors from “discriminating on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity.”
The House approved the Maloney amendment to an Energy Department spending bill in a 223-195 vote late Wednesday night, with 43 Republicans joining all the Democrats.
How does this executive order impact religious organizations which may contract with the federal government? The executive order does not contain any religious liberty protections—though it does retain an older federal regulation that permits religious organizations that favor employment of co-religionists to continue such practices. But there is no protection for organizations that hire based on mission—not on affiliation—to continue to do so.
Previous guidelines for federal contractors prohibited discrimination on race, color, national origin, sex, (immutable or unchangeable characteristics ) and religious affiliation – supposedly protected under the First Amendment. These protections make sense, because race, color, national origin and sex are rarely—if ever—relevant to job performance, while religious affiliation is relevant for some religious organizations.
Congress should not be elevating sexual orientation and gender identity (changeable characteristics) as protected classes which gives those who identify as homosexual or transgender special legal privileges. The federal government should not use government contracting to shape civil society. Those with conscientious objections to certain behaviors are equated to racists and sexists!
Two amendments to the Maloney amendment were introduced to minimize the damage. One was introduced by PA Congressman Joe Pitts saying it couldn’t violate the US Constitution and the other, the Byrne Amendment, attempted to attach existing religious liberty protections to the bill. Neither sufficiently protect the religious liberties of contractors.
Action Steps
Again all Democrats in the US House voted yea. Of the 43 Republicans who voted for this dangerous intrusion on religious liberties, four were from Pennsylvania. Why not let them know what you think about their vote on Wednesday night!
Ryan Costello (R-6th) — (202) 225-4315 or (610) 696-2982
Charlie Dent (R-15th) — 202-225-6411 or (610) 770-3490
Mike Fitzpatrick (R 8th) — (202) 225-4276 or (215) 579-8102
Pat Meehan (R-7th) — (202) 225-2011 or (610) 690-7323
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