Washington D.C., May 27, 2016 / 05:46 am
Religious liberty was among the primary concerns that ultimately defeated controversial legislation aimed at enforcing a 2014 LGBT executive order twice this week.
If passed, the amendments could infringe upon religious liberty of federal contractors, critics say. Since the executive order does not have explicit protections for religious contractors, Catholic institutions could risk losing their contracts if they object to offering spousal benefits for same-sex partners or permitting individuals to use the bathroom that does not align with their biological sex.
The amendment in question, inserted by Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney (D-N.Y.), would bar federal money from any federal contractor who makes employment decisions "on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity." It is meant to enforce President Barack Obama's executive order that forbade contractors from making such employment decisions.
After the amendment initially had the 213 votes needed to be included in a large defense spending bill last week, GOP leadership held the vote open for a few more minutes and persuaded several members to switch their votes, enough to kill the amendment.