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Compiled By GayToday
Mr. Bush: Selling out equal rights in order to pass his "Faith-Based Initiative" |
Washington, D.C.--The House Republican leadership yesterday temporarily
withdrew H R 7, the bill that legislates the Bush-Cheney Administration's
so-called "Faith-Based Initiative," exempts providers of social service
receiving federal tax dollars from compliance with state and
local anti-discrimination laws, except those that are specifically
covered by those federal laws that are enumerated in this bill. |
The move came after a split in the House Republican Caucus
between conservatives supporting the bill as is and moderates
wanting to insert language opposing discrimination on the basis
of religious belief and sexual orientation.
As presently written, HR 7 will allow these social-service
providers to discriminate against gay, lesbian, bisexual, and
transgendered people in hiring and in the provision of services,
even in those states and cities that have anti-discrimination laws.
This is a contemptuous and arrogant assault on the work of people
in those 12 states and hundreds of localities that have passed
anti-discrimination provisions.
If this initiative passes Congress and is signed into law, the federal
government will assume the role of the great nullifier of local laws
that protect gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgendered people.
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Moreover, other state-protected groups are similarly disadvantaged by HR 7.
The bill allows federally-funded, faith-based providers to discriminate on the
basis of religion as well, for example, because the bill does not specifically
extend protection on the basis of religion.
The only way to defeat HR 7 in its current form is to vote for a
"motion to recommit." This motion is being sponsored by the House
Democrat leadership and some moderate Republicans.
Please contact your Congressional representative immediately - contact
information below - and insist that he/she oppose HR 7 as currently
written and support the motion to recommit for the following reasons:
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Federal dollars should not be granted to providers that violate
local and state laws protecting people from discrimination.
The federal government should not encourage or protect religious
institutions that seek to circumvent local and state law.
Federally-funded programs should respect the decisions of local
and state governments to offer anti-discrimination protections to
certain classes of people.
By funding programs that are then allowed to discriminate in defiance
of local and state laws, the federal government is endorsing particular
religious beliefs.
Requiring faith-based social service providers to abide by applicable
local and state laws does not interfere with their free exercise of religion.
For more information about Bush's Faith Based Initiatives program, visit NGLTF's
"W Watch" web site at www.ngltf.org,
and click on the WWatch icon.
Write, call, e-mail, or fax your Representative immediately. This bill is
scheduled for House action on Wednesday, July 18, 2001. Contact your
Representative immediately and urge your friends to act today.
To find out who your legislator is and get contact information for their office,
visit www.ngltf.org/action/contact.htm and enter your ZIP code. You
can also visit the House of Representatives web site at www.house.gov.
To reach the House switchboard, call (202) 224-3121.
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