White House Gay-Rights Order Revives Faith-Exemption Debate

Conservatives and gay-rights activists are gearing up for a battle over whether the executive order issued by President Obama this week barring discrimination by federal contractors against lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender people should include an exemption for religious organizations, reports Bloomberg Businessweek.

LGBT groups are calling on the White House to resist a broad exemption, which Jennifer Pizer, senior counsel for Lambda Legal, said could “set a very damaging precedent.” Republican Sen. Orrin Hatch said the order should “include the same religious protections” as the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, which would ban workplace bias against LGBT people. The act was passed by the Senate last fall but has been blocked by the House.

An administration official said there were no details available yet on the specifics of the executive order issued Monday. The exemption debate mirrors the dispute now being fought in court over the Affordable Care Act’s mandate that workplace health insurance plans include contraceptive coverage, which nonprofit faith groups maintain violates their religious freedom.