House Republicans Refuse To Pass Bill Unless They Are Allowed To Discriminate Against Gays

Passage of a routine energy and water spending bill fell apart in the House after Republicans blocked the bill when Democrats attached an amendment banning federal contractors from discriminating against lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people.

The Hill reported, “Most Democrats voted against the bill due to spending levels and policy riders. Taken together with Republicans who opposed the inclusion of the LGBT measure, the legislation didn’t have enough votes to pass Thursday. It failed 112-305, with 130 Republicans joining all but six Democrats to sink the Energy Department spending bill.”

Make no mistake about it, with House Republicans holding their biggest majority since the New Deal; they don’t need Democratic votes to pass a routine funding bill. The latest collapse of the basic Republican ability to govern happened because a group of Republicans wants the government and people who do business with the federal government to be able to legally discriminate against the LGBT community.

Republicans are pulling from George W. Bush’s 2004 playbook. The time the issue is not same-sex marriage state ballot initiatives. In 2016, Republicans have moved on to flatly ignoring the Constitution and demanding the ability to discriminate against American citizens.

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Republicans are open warfare with the progress of society, and it is a battle that they are destined to lose.

Jason Easley

Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.

Awards and  Professional Memberships

Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association