On the recordMay 17, 2019
I thank the chairman and others who have worked on this. Mr. Speaker, I am so disappointed in this legislation. I have been involved, in my time in Congress, with leaders from various LGBTQ and other organizations representing good people, as well as religious leaders, in an effort to find common ground to satisfy two important priorities. Yes, of course--of course--we should treat each other with fairness and with dignity. I believe that all people in America should live their lives free of any discrimination. But we also have to defend the first freedom, the foundational liberty, the amendment and the principle upon which all other liberties are based. People of faith, who are also good people, deserve to have the right to express their sincerely held religious beliefs without compulsion from the Federal Government. This bill, unfortunately--and more than unfortunately. I mean sadly, disappointingly, this bill makes absolutely no effort to do that. It makes no effort to find common ground. What a wasted opportunity.
