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| Version 1 | Version 2 |
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| Obama signs executive order to protect LGBT federal employees | Obama signs executive order to protect LGBT federal employees |
| (about 3 hours later) | |
| President Barack Obama on Monday signed an executive order that bars discrimination against transgender federal employees, and adds people who identify as LGBT to a list of those against whom federal contractors can not discriminate. | President Barack Obama on Monday signed an executive order that bars discrimination against transgender federal employees, and adds people who identify as LGBT to a list of those against whom federal contractors can not discriminate. |
| “We’re on the right side of history,” Obama said at a press conference. “America’s federal contractors should not subsidize discrimination against the American people.” | “We’re on the right side of history,” Obama said at a press conference. “America’s federal contractors should not subsidize discrimination against the American people.” |
| The narrowly tailored executive order is seen as a partial victory for gay rights groups. A bill stalled in Congress would offer protection nationally to employees identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, but it hasn't seen movement since November. | The narrowly tailored executive order is seen as a partial victory for gay rights groups. A bill stalled in Congress would offer protection nationally to employees identifying as lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender, but it hasn't seen movement since November. |
| Further, Obama's action doesn't change a religious exemption put in place in an executive order issued by President George W Bush. Religious entities, such as corporations and schools, can continue to use such convictions as a factor when making employment decisions. | Further, Obama's action doesn't change a religious exemption put in place in an executive order issued by President George W Bush. Religious entities, such as corporations and schools, can continue to use such convictions as a factor when making employment decisions. |
| That galvanized sides of the gay rights debate before the order was signed, in one instance putting faith leaders at odds. | That galvanized sides of the gay rights debate before the order was signed, in one instance putting faith leaders at odds. |
| More than a dozen religious leaders, including large nonprofits such as Catholic Charities, urged Obama to exempt such institutions from the order, arguing that “this expansion of hiring rights will come at an unreasonable cost to the common good, national unity and religious freedom.” | More than a dozen religious leaders, including large nonprofits such as Catholic Charities, urged Obama to exempt such institutions from the order, arguing that “this expansion of hiring rights will come at an unreasonable cost to the common good, national unity and religious freedom.” |
| In response, the Interfaith Alliance led a drive to collect more than 100 signatures urging the president to cover religious entities' employment practices in the action. | |
| Reverend Dr C Welton Gaddy, who leads the alliance, said he "whole-heartedly" supported Obama's action on Monday, but was "disappointed that he did not go further to undo the provisions that President George W Bush signed allowing for religious organizations to discriminate against people of other religions in their hiring." | Reverend Dr C Welton Gaddy, who leads the alliance, said he "whole-heartedly" supported Obama's action on Monday, but was "disappointed that he did not go further to undo the provisions that President George W Bush signed allowing for religious organizations to discriminate against people of other religions in their hiring." |
| The letter called such an exemption a "terrible precedent". | The letter called such an exemption a "terrible precedent". |
| The executive order echoes a recent supreme court decision on religious convictions. The court exempted the faith-affiliated craft supply company Hobby Lobby from a requirement to provide birth control through insurance coverage, a tenet of Obama’s signature healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act. | The executive order echoes a recent supreme court decision on religious convictions. The court exempted the faith-affiliated craft supply company Hobby Lobby from a requirement to provide birth control through insurance coverage, a tenet of Obama’s signature healthcare law, the Affordable Care Act. |
| Obama's order builds on two more – one signed in 1965 by President Lyndon B Johnson barred discrimination by federal contractors on the grounds of race and sex. The second, signed by Richard Nixon in 1969, barred discrimination by the government itself. | Obama's order builds on two more – one signed in 1965 by President Lyndon B Johnson barred discrimination by federal contractors on the grounds of race and sex. The second, signed by Richard Nixon in 1969, barred discrimination by the government itself. |