House Minority Leader Nancy Pelosi charged that Republicans are pursuing an agenda of “bigotry” after GOP leaders twisted the arms of lawmakers to ensure an amendment to restore protections to LGBT servicemembers failed on the House floor on Thursday.
“House Republicans are so committed to discriminating against LGBT Americans, that they broke regular order to force their members to reverse their votes and support Republicans’ bigotry,” Pelosi said.
Pelosi accused the GOP of advocating a “hateful agenda,” after the amendment, offered by Sean Maloney, D-N.Y., appeared to have passed, but then failed after several Republicans switched votes from yes to no. Republicans held open the vote for seven additional minutes than normal in order to get that result.
The Maloney amendment ultimately failed 212-213. Seven Republicans ended up switching their votes to no, according to Democrats.
Maloney’s amendment would have removed a provision from the defense authorization measure aimed at preventing discrimination against religious entities that receive federal funding. Democrats see that language as a possible opening for federal funds to flow to groups that discriminate against LGBT people.
House Speaker Paul Ryan, R-Wis., who was in his ceremonial office during the vote, told reporters later he didn’t know anything about vote switching. But he advocated the amendment protecting religious groups.
“The federal government shouldn’t stick its nose in this business,” Ryan said.
Ryan aides did not respond immediately to a request for comment on Pelosi’s statement.
