Norton Condemns Lee Amendment Attacking D.C.’s LGBTQ+ Residents

WASHINGTON, D.C. – Congresswoman Eleanor Holmes Norton (D-DC) today condemned an amendment filed by Senator Mike Lee (R-UT) to the Respect for Marriage Act that would prohibit the District of Columbia from enforcing D.C. laws that protect same-sex couples from discrimination. Specifically, the amendment would prohibit D.C. from taking certain adverse actions, such as denying grants or contracts, against individuals and entities that otherwise unlawfully discriminate against same-sex couples if such individuals and entities have a sincerely held religious belief or moral conviction that marriage is a union of individuals of the opposite sex. While the amendment is framed as prohibiting the federal government from taking adverse action for violations of federal law, it defines the term federal government and federal law to include the D.C. government and D.C. law, respectively.

“This amendment is an attack on all LGBTQ+ Americans, but it also uniquely attacks D.C.’s LGBTQ+ residents,” Norton said. “Senator Mike Lee, who professes to support local control of local affairs, regularly tries to use Congress’ undemocratic power over D.C. to interfere in D.C.’s local affairs. I have defeated all his prior attempts to interfere in D.C.’s local affairs, and I will defeat this one, too.”

###