WASHINGTON – According to reports, Rep. Chris Stewart (R-Utah) is expected to introduce the “Fairness for All” Act in the U.S. House of Representatives today. The bill would add “sexual orientation and gender identity” (SOGI) as protected classes to civil rights law while also codifying some limited exemptions.

In response, Terry Schilling, executive director of American Principles Project, released the following statement opposing the legislation:

The ‘Fairness for All’ Act is being heralded by its sponsor as a compromise bill. In reality, it’s a near total surrender to progressive extremists.

Like the Democrats’ so-called ‘Equality Act’ which it is seeking to replace, FFA would upend American society by radically altering civil rights law. And despite including some exemptions, it would still seriously endanger the conscience rights of Americans seeking to live by their faith, for whom relatively few protections are offered.

Moreover, even the exemptions it does offer — which are already protected by the First Amendment — could easily be removed by future legislation. And why should we trust that Democrats will not do so in the future, when almost all of them already support a bill which would do just that?

Call it what it is. ‘Fairness for All’ is merely a dressed-up version of the ‘Equality Act.’ You can put lipstick on a pig, and it’s still a pig. Like the ‘Equality Act,’ FFA would be a disaster for this country. APP strongly opposes this legislation, and we encourage all leaders and citizens of good will to do the same.

To schedule an interview with an APP policy expert, contact Paul Dupont at (o) 202-503-2010 or pdupont@americanprinciplesproject.org.