Steve Scalise

—Voted against The Respect for Marriage Act which would require the federal government and all states and territories to recognize marriages performed legally—including the same-sex marriage of Special Agent Crystal Griner, the officer who saved Scalise’s life in the June 14, 2017, shooting at a GOP congressional baseball practice in Alexandria. A bipartisan supermajority  – 71% – of Americans support the freedom to marry, according to a June 2022 poll. 

—Voted against the Equality Act, which amends the Civil Rights Act to ensure comprehensive protections on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity nationwide, including in housing, education, public accommodations and access to credit.

—Opposed the repeal of the US military’s “don’t ask, don’t tell,” policy stating “military leaders we’ve spoken with feel strongly that this policy should not be repealed.” 

—Opposed adding federal hate crimes protections for sexual orientation, voting against the Matthew Shepard and James Byrd Jr. Hate Crimes Prevention Act.

—Received a zero rating from the Human Rights Campaign in its report on the 177th Congress. 

—Voted against including LGBTQ victims in the Violence Against Women Act in 2013.

—Cosponsored 2015 legislation to exempt from punishment or sanction government entities or contractors who discriminate against LGBTQ people based on the views of the individual or organization that marriage is limited to a union between a man and a woman.

—Authored a 2008 anti-LGBTQ constitution amendment to restrict marriage rights.