The online political site did not cite the passage Allen read, but some of his more progressive colleagues were said to be unhappy with it.
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“It was f-ing ridiculous”, said one GOP lawmaker said, according to The Hill.
“House Republicans’ thirst to discriminate against the LGBT community is so strong that they are willing to vote down their own appropriations bill in order to prevent progress over bigotry”, said Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi, D-Calif.
This is the second time in a week Democrats have forced Republicans to vote on an amendment to an appropriations bill that would single out anti-LGBT federal contractors. It’s the latest development in a fight that could endanger the whole appropriations process this session and it’s an excuse for Democrats to say Republicans cannot lead.
The tension between LGBT activists and religious freedom supporters reached a boiling point again this week, with an Alabama congressman right in the middle of it all. The incident took place before the House chamber voted to reject a spending bill that included an amendment barring discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. The Democrat revived the measure on Wednesday night and it passed with 43 Republicans aboard.
Republicans returned to the Capitol divided on Thrursday, with moderates at odds with the conservative Republicans who pressured Speaker Ryan (and former Speaker John Boehner) to adopt the freewheeling “regular order” system that allowed Democrats to introduce the LGBT measure. Republicans blocked the measure from getting attached to a separate spending bill last week.
Allen is not the only conservative speaking out against the Maloney amendment, however.
Democrats moved an amendment that would extend the federal government’s own nondiscrimination policies for LGBT employees to federal contractors.
With the amendment added, more than half of House Republicans voted against the bill’s passage on Thursday. “The fact that the author of the amendment that prevailed then turned around and voted against the bill containing his amendment tells us that they are trying to stop the amendment process in its tracks”, Ryan said.
“While we oppose the Maloney provision, we applaud the passage of the Byrne provision to ensure Congress will continue to provide protections for the thousands of faith-based organizations and family-owned businesses that contract with the federal government to offer unbelievable services to many American communities”.
Last week, the provision had won enough Republican support to pass as part of a military construction bill, but GOP leaders held the vote open and urged supporters to switch their votes.
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“Yet, so far this year the GOP leadership appears either unwilling or unable to stand up to a lame duck president on important issues facing the American people”.
