Virginia Foxx: “This motion is the final opportunity to amend this legislation and would do so without any delay in passage. Madam…”

“This motion is the final opportunity to amend this legislation and would do so without any delay in passage. Madam Speaker, Republicans support protections in Federal law for pregnant workers, and we believe employers should provide reasonable accommodations for pregnant workers. I support the provisions in H.R. 2694, which were previously outlined during the general debate. I also recognize that improvements to the bill were the result of bipartisan negotiations, and I commend Chairman Scott for his outreach in this regard. Unfortunately, despite our agreement on these changes, there remains an important outstanding issue that must be resolved. The bill before us today does not include a narrow but longstanding provision from the Civil Rights Act that protects religious organizations from being forced to make employment decisions that conflict with their faith. The motion to recommit adds this important protection. This very limited provision is already in current law, and it allows religious organizations to make religiously based employment decisions. Without this longstanding Civil Rights Act provision, H.R. 2694 will create confusion and legal risk for religious organizations in their religiously based employment decisions. At least 16 States and the District of Columbia in their pregnancy discrimination or pregnancy accommodation laws also include a provision similar to the Civil Rights Act religious organization protection.…”