KENNEDY STATEMENT ON DISCRIMINATORY ‘FIRST AMENDMENT DEFENSE ACT’

Washington, D.C. – One month after the horrific attack against the LGBT community in Orlando, Congressman Joe Kennedy III released the following statement in response to today’s Republican-led hearing on the discriminatory “First Amendment Defense Act.”

Kennedy recently introduced the Do No Harm Act with the support of over 40 social justice organizations, which would restore the balance between religious liberty and equal protection. 

“Policies that shield prejudice serve as a tacit endorsement of the division and discrimination wreaking havoc in our communities. Exactly one month after we mourned forty-nine lives stolen in a targeted act of hatred against the LGBT community, Republican leadership has chosen to honor their memory by debating legislation that would force their government to treat them as less than equal. 

“We have learned the cost of codified intolerance too many times in our country to ignore it now. We have lost too many lives and broken too many families. Republican leadership should end consideration of this hateful bill today.”

Read more about today’s hearing in a piece by Rep. Kennedy and Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney in the Huffington Post yesterday. The Los Angeles Times Editorial Board also recently endorsed Kennedy’s Do No Harm Act.

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For Immediate Release:
July 12, 2016
 
Contact:
Emily Kaufman (617) 332-3333
Dan Black (202) 225-5931

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