[Congressional Record Volume 162, Number 82 (Tuesday, May 24, 2016)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Page E773]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]





        NATIONAL DEFENSE AUTHORIZATION ACT FOR FISCAL YEAR 2017

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                               speech of

                          HON. SCOTT H. PETERS

                             of california

                    in the house of representatives

                         Tuesday, May 17, 2016

       The House in Committee of the Whole House on the state of 
     the Union had under consideration the bill (H.R. 4909) to 
     authorize appropriations for fiscal year 2017 for military 
     activities of the Department of Defense and for military 
     construction, to prescribe military personnel strengths for 
     such fiscal year, and for other purposes:

  Mr. PETERS. Mr. Chair, I oppose Sec. 1094 of this bill.
  The language included in the underlying bill is dangerously vague, 
and allows contractors, or any entity that receives federal funds, to 
discriminate based on the faulty guise of religious exemption.
  Since ``religious corporation'' is undefined by the bill or by 
courts, this provision applies too broadly.
  Let's be clear--a ``religious corporation'' could range from a 
religious institution like a church to a corporation with a religious 
CEO.
  Therefore, any vaguely religious organization or corporation 
receiving federal funds could legally discriminate against LGBT 
Americans if they feel like hiring them violates their religious 
beliefs.
  A corporation with a religious CEO could decide not to hire, or to 
fire, LGBT people. A religious university could fire employees with no 
religious job requirement, such as a scientist or custodial worker, 
simply because they are LGBT.
  Tax-payer dollars should not be used to fund discrimination.
  Last year, I offered an amendment to the Transportation 
Appropriations Bill that affirmed President Obama's executive order 
prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating based on sexual 
orientation and gender identity.
  My amendment passed with a near super-majority, including 60 
Republicans.
  I believe all of my colleagues can agree on these two things--the 
federal government should not infringe on religious freedom, nor should 
we do business with groups that discriminate.
  No American should be fired, denied a job or a place to live because 
of who they are or who they love.
  I urge my colleagues to stand on the side of equality and against 
discrimination and oppose this provision.

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