A dozen Republican senators have introduced a bill that would bar the government from denying any person or group tax-exempt status for exercising their religious beliefs, effectively giving individuals a 'license to discriminate' against LGBT couples
The proposed Marriage and Religious Freedom Act, authored by Sen. Mike Lee of Utah, would allow organizations to refuse service or products to gay people simply by citing their religious beliefs. Lee believes that while President Obama promised to respect religious liberty in his statement on the Supreme Court's repeal of DOMA back in June, his administration may do otherwise. Washington Examiner reports:
Lee thinks federal officials could work
around that promise by trying to revoke the tax-exempt status of
churches that support traditional marriage.
"We need not just statements, but we need
legislation to protect religious liberty from this kind of potential
threat," he said during the interview.
Co-sponsor Sen. David Vitter (R-LA) echoed Lee's words, saying that the bill was a way to protect religious liberty and traditional values.
"Religious
freedom is a foundational principle to our great nation, and it's
something that Louisianians and folks across the country cherish -
including millions of Americans, like myself, who support traditional
marriage," he said. "But, for a number of reasons, this basic freedom is
under attack by the current administration. This bill will protect
groups from administrative attacks, such as additional hurdles with
taxes or obtaining federal grants or contracts."
You may recall Sen. Vitter espousing his 'traditional values' back in 2007, when it was revealed that he had been involved in a high-profile prostitution ring in Washington D.C.
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