Obama’s LGBT Hiring Executive Order Will Not Include Religious Exemption

President Barack Obama gestures as he talks about his vision for rebuilding the economy, Wednesday, July 24, 2013, at Knox College in Galesburg Ill. The president repackaged his economic message, a six-point plan for... President Barack Obama gestures as he talks about his vision for rebuilding the economy, Wednesday, July 24, 2013, at Knox College in Galesburg Ill. The president repackaged his economic message, a six-point plan for putting a floor under the country's diminishing middle class, and lashed out at opponents for creating "an endless parade of distractions, political posturing and phony scandals." (AP Photo/Seth Perlman) MORE LESS
Start your day with TPM.
Sign up for the Morning Memo newsletter

President Barack Obama plans to sign on Monday a long-awaited executive order prohibiting discrimination against LGBT people by federal contractors, and it will not include the broad religious exemption sought by religious leaders.

The Huffington Post reported on Friday that Obama’s order will add sexual orientation and gender identity to an existing non-discrimination order that covers race, sex and religion. A White House official confirmed the report to TPM. It will not include any general religious exemption for religious employers.

The order does, however, maintain an executive order by President George W. Bush that allows religious employers to prioritize hiring members of their religion, according to the official.

Obama pledged to issue the order earlier this year after the House failed to take up the Senate-passed Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would prohibit hiring discrimination against LGBT people more broadly.

Following the Supreme Court’s Hobby Lobby ruling, several religious leaders, including a member of Obama’s 2012 campaign, wrote to the president asking that he include a broad religious exemption in his forthcoming order.

Latest Livewire

Notable Replies

  1. Now the Republicans will start investigating “BenGAYzi”

  2. Good for you Mr. President…Come on GOP now try to take it back now!!!

  3. Jeebus, I should have hoped so.

  4. Wait for the Christians to starts screeching that they are picked on because they have to hire ‘the faggots.’

    “But we looovvvve them. Honest.”

  5. Right the fuck on. You don’t believe all people are created equal? Then don’t do business with “We the People”.

Continue the discussion at forums.talkingpointsmemo.com

46 more replies

Participants

Avatar for anniew Avatar for fgs Avatar for jsfox Avatar for littlegirlblue Avatar for marby Avatar for dan_pierce Avatar for ncsteve Avatar for eda Avatar for leftflank Avatar for msinformed Avatar for Kita123 Avatar for trumpdog Avatar for irasdad Avatar for afisher Avatar for chelsea530 Avatar for jimellis Avatar for finn13 Avatar for snarkus_aurelius Avatar for boyoboy Avatar for smokinthegotp Avatar for nelsonrobison Avatar for thunderclapnewman Avatar for antisachetdethe Avatar for lorionii

Continue Discussion
Masthead Masthead
Founder & Editor-in-Chief:
Executive Editor:
Managing Editor:
Deputy Editor:
Editor at Large:
General Counsel:
Publisher:
Head of Product:
Director of Technology:
Associate Publisher:
Front End Developer:
Senior Designer: