Rep. Polis Statement on Anti-LGBT Provision in National Defense Authorization Act and Milcon-VA

Press Release

Rep. Jared Polis (D-CO) released the following statement regarding his vote against the passage of the National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) and the Military Construction and Veteran Affairs (Milcon-VA) Appropriations bill.

Included in the passage of NDAA was Section 1094 - an anti-LGBT provision - that dramatically undermined President Obama's landmark Executive Order prohibiting discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity by federal contractors. Democrats' attempt to remove this harmful provision from the bill was blocked from receiving debate and a vote on the House floor.

The following day in Milcon-VA appropriations bill, Representative Sean Maloney (D-N.Y.) proposed an amendment aimed at ensuring compliance with the Executive Order banning discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity by federal contractors. The amendment lost 213 -- 212 after Republican leadership undermined traditional order and convinced several House Republicans to switch their votes so the amendment would fail

"The purpose of these two bills is to keep Americans safe from threats across the world and to provide funding for our veterans," Polis said. "The anti-LGBT section included in the final NDAA bill has nothing to do with funding and operating an efficient military, and everything to do with stripping Americans of basic workplace protections."

"While this week we should have been focused on debate around national security, Republicans decided it would be best to reinstate discriminatory policies. It's a tremendous setback not only for the LGBT community, but also for our nation, and I'm appalled at my colleagues who openly endorsed discrimination."

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