Biden Signs Bill Banning LGBTQ Pride Flags at Embassies Worldwide

Clear Facts

• President Joe Biden signed a $1.2 trillion government funding bill on Saturday that includes a provision prohibiting the display of LGBTQ pride flags at U.S. embassies worldwide.
• Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson reportedly used this ban to garner support for the bill from his party, indirectly backing a Republican plan to stop the display of Pride flags at U.S. government buildings.
• The White House has announced its intention to fight the ban, with the Biden administration pledging efforts to overturn this specific clause.

In a move that has sparked controversy, President Joe Biden signed a $1.2 trillion government funding bill on Saturday. This bill, crucial for the functioning of the government until September, includes a provision that has raised eyebrows: a ban on the display of LGBTQ pride flags at U.S. embassies across the globe.

This ban is one of many additional issues incorporated into the 1,012-page bill. It indirectly supports a Republican plan to halt the display of LGBTQ Pride flags at U.S. government buildings, even though it doesn’t explicitly mention a ban on Pride flags at U.S. embassies.

The bill states, “None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended to fly or display a flag over a facility of the United States Department of State other than the — United States flag; Foreign Service flag pursuant to 2 FAM, POW/MIA flag, Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag, pursuant to section 904 of title 36, United States Code, flag of a State, insular area, or the District of Columbia at domestic locations, flag of an Indian Tribal government, official branded flag of a United States agency or sovereign flag of other countries.”

Republican House Speaker Mike Johnson, known for his conservative Christian beliefs, reportedly leveraged this ban to gain support for the bill from his party.

The White House, however, has announced its intention to fight the ban. Immediately after the bill was signed, the Biden administration pledged efforts to overturn this specific clause.

A White House spokesperson stated, “The Administration fought against the inclusion of this policy and we will continue to work with members of Congress to find an opportunity to repeal it. We were successful in defeating 50+ other policy riders attacking the LGBTQI+ community that Congressional Republicans attempted to insert into the legislation.”

Democratic Texas Rep. Greg Casar expressed his disapproval of the provision, stating, “It shows just how low the Republican Party has gotten that they’ve threatened to shut down government services over trying to figure out which flags can be flown in front of which buildings. I think it’s laughable, not just to Democratic voters but to Republican voters.”

On the other hand, Republican Florida Rep. Cory Mills expressed disappointment that this policy had to be included. He believes that this policy about flags is part of a larger issue with the Democrats’ focus on diversity. “I don’t think that we should be flying flags that sow division by thinking that it somehow creates some kind of inclusion,” Mills stated. “I think it does the opposite. I just personally think that it’s sad that we have to state these things.”

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