Gay Couples Could Be Denied Adoption Under New House GOP Proposal

Last updated on September 25th, 2023 at 08:47 pm

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Conservative Republican Representative Robert Aderholt of Alabama doesn’t like gay people adopting children.  As a result he introduced a new restriction concerning gay adoptions as an amendment in a bill before the House Appropriations Committee, and his amendment was approved by the committee.

If Aderholt’s law goes into effect, it would allow adoption agencies to refuse service to gay couples based on the moral or religious beliefs of the agency. More specifically, according to Aderholt, the amendment would allow child welfare providers to decline to “provide a service that conflicts with its sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions.”

Aderholt said that religious organizations such as Catholic Charities and Bethany Christian Services would now be able to operate child welfare agencies if the legislation passes.

According to Aderholt:

“The reason for this is simply because these organizations, based on religious conviction, choose not to place children with same-sex couples. The amendment I introduced seeks to prevent these state governments from discriminating against child welfare providers on the basis that the provider declines to provide a service that conflicts with its sincerely held religious beliefs or moral convictions.”

Aderholt’s amendment would have a significant impact in states with larger LGBTQ populations and more gay-friendly laws. It would require the US Department of Health and Human Services to withhold from states 15% of the federal funds each state receives for child welfare services if that state doesn’t meet the new standards for “protecting” religious adoption groups.

As to be expected, Democrats in the House have come out against Aderholt’s amendment. They believe that it would severely restrict the ability of same-sex couples to adopt children which would be a violation of their rights.

Democratic Rep. Mark Pocan, a gay congressman from Wisconsin, said in a tweet.

“Today, I spoke against @HouseGOP’s amendment that could allow discrimination against #LGBT people seeking to adopt and foster children. Same sex couples are six times more likely to foster and four times more likely to adopt. Denying kids loving parents is wrong. #LoveIsLove”

House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi  had harsh words for the amendment, calling it a “disgusting, deeply immoral and profoundly offensive effort.

She said in a statement:

“House Republicans chose to sacrifice the well-being of little children to push a bigoted, anti-LGBTQ agenda, potentially denying tens of thousands of vulnerable children the opportunity to find a loving and safe home.”

Adherholt’s amendment is just one more misguided move by Republicans to impose their unpopular conservative views on the entire country.  It is doomed to fail.

Leo Vidal

I am a lifelong Democrat with a passion for social justice and progressive issues. I have degrees in writing, economics and law from the University of Iowa.