WASHINGTON – The White House says President Barack Obama plans to sign an executive order banning federal contractors from discriminating against employees on the basis of their sexual orientation or gender identity, but it’s unclear if there will be a religious exemption.
Obama hoped that Congress would pass a broader non-discrimination measure that would apply to nearly all employers. Utah Sen. Orrin Hatch called on the White House to include the same religious exemptions in the executive order that are included in legislation the Senate passed but which is stalled in the House. The bill includes exemptions for churches and other houses of worship, as well as religiously affiliated organizations.
Nathan Diament, Executive Director for Public Policy for the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America, says if there’s no religious exemption, some Christian and Jewish charities will have to either violate their faith or withdraw from federal contracts.
