The White House slammed House Republicans for slipping an anti-LGBTQ provision into the omnibus spending bill passed by Congress on Friday. Even though 50 anti-LGBTQ amendments that Republicans had tried to force into the government funding bill were defeated, a provision to ban Pride flags from flying over U.S. embassies did make it into the final language. https://twitter.com/lgbtqnation/status/1772273484401451348 Biden signed the spending bill into law on Saturday, saying it “keeps the government open,” but also noted that “neither side got everything it wanted.” He also denounced House Republicans for using the budget process to target LGBTQ Americans:
“President Biden believes it was inappropriate to abuse the process that was essential to keep the government open by including this policy targeting LGBTQI+ Americans.
“While it will have no impact on the ability of members of the LGBTQI+ community to serve openly in our embassies or to celebrate Pride, the administration fought against the inclusion of this policy, and we will continue to work with members of Congress to find an opportunity to repeal it.”
“We were successful in defeating 50+ other policy riders attacking the LGBTQI+ community that Congressional Republicans attempted to insert into the legislation. President Biden is committed to fighting for LGBTQI+ equality at home and abroad.”
https://twitter.com/PressSec/status/1771994123559399780 Many are noting, however, that the actual wording in the spending bill only applies to flying Pride flags OVER a U.S. facility of the State Department:
“None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended to fly or display a flag over a facility of the United States Department of State.”
Brandon Wolf, spokesperson for the Human Rights Campaign, pointed this out on X (formerly Twitter) and called Speaker of the House Mike Johnson (R-LA) “desperate” in his attempt to “spin” the provision as a “big win.” https://twitter.com/bjoewolf/status/1771197744549429571
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