New Bill Would Allow Companies to Fire Unwed Mothers

Republicans are pushing a bill that would protect employers who are opposed to same-sex marriage due to their religious beliefs. This new legislation comes just a few weeks after the U.S. Supreme Court lifted the ban against same-sex marriage.

Huffington Post sums it up:

The First Amendment Defense Act prohibits the federal government from taking discriminatory action against a person—which is defined to include for-profit corporations—acting in accordance with a religious belief that favors so-called traditional marriage. This means the feds can’t revoke a nonprofit’s tax-exempt status or end a company’s federal contract over this issue. The bill specifically protects those who believe that marriage is between “one man and one woman” or that “sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage.”

In that case, single mothers could face discrimination if their employer’s religion was against out-of-wedlock births. If you thought that was bad enough, there are more issues with the legislation. The bill would remove anti-discrimination protections that President Obama put in place last year for LGBT federal contractors. It would also allow religious organizations that are given federal grants—like homeless shelters and drug treatment programs—to turn away LGBT people.

According to The Hill, the number of GOP co-sponsors for the bill—which was authored by Rep. Raul Labrador (R-Idaho)—is at 115. The legislation is gaining momentum, with pressure on GOP leaders to vote on it this month.