Religious Freedom Is Top GOP Sticking Point for LGBT Protections

A landmark LGBT rights bill’s handling of a federal law governing religious freedom is drawing fire from Republican lawmakers.

The Equality Act (H.R. 5), a priority of President Joe Biden that the House passed last month, would amend federal civil rights law to prohibit discrimination on the basis of gender identity or sexual orientation. The legislation would also limit groups from using the Religious Freedom Restoration Act to carve out exceptions from the measure’s protections.

That drew the ire of GOP members of the Senate Judiciary Committee, who raised alarm at a hearing Wednesday over the impact on ...