[News] [PA, USA] Bucks lawmakers sign rebuke against Obama's transgender bathroom letter
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Stephanie Stevens
May 24, 2016, 10:02:09 AM5/24/16
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Bucks County Courier Times, PA, USA
Bucks lawmakers sign rebuke against Obama's transgender bathroom letter
Posted: Monday, May 23, 2016 4:45 pm
By James Boyle, staff writer
-----
State reps from Bucks, Montgomery who signed Metcalfe's letter to President Obama
Kathy Watson, R-144
Craig Staats, R-145
Scott Petri, R-178
Mike Vereb, R-150
Justin Simmons, R-131
Thomas Quigley, R-146
Robert Godshall, R-53
-----
Despite cosponsoring a House bill that protects LGBT individuals from employment and housing discrimination, two Republican state representatives from Bucks County have endorsed a sharp rebuke against President Obama's order for public schools to protect transgender students from discrimination.
Scott Petri, R-178, Kathy Watson, R-144, signed a letter last week from Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, a Republican who chairs the State Government Committee. The letter was addressed to Obama and expressed outrage at his administration's directive to accommodate a student's gender identity. Craig Staats, R-145, also signed.
"The fact that this directive mandates a change in already established law under Title IX with no regard for the legislative process is indefensible," the letter says.
It is in response to a letter dated May 13 from the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights that directs public school administrators to apply the nondiscriminatory guidelines of Title IX to transgender students. The eight-page note reminds school districts that compliance to Title IX is a condition for receiving federal funding.
"Education is a state's rights issue," noted Petri. "That's half the problem with the federal government. It is never supposed to be involved with matters on this level."
Petri and Watson signed on as co-sponsors to House Bill 1510, otherwise known as the Fairness Act. The legislation, resting in the State Government Committee since September, adds language to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act protecting LGBT individuals from employment and housing discrimination.
Watson recognized that her support of the Fairness Act and signature of Metcalfe's letter appear at odds with each other, but said the explanation is simple.
"The president does not have the right to withhold money that has been appropriated to us in the U.S. budget," said Watson. "If I showed his letter to a police officer, it would be investigated for extortion or blackmail."
Critics of the bill and its sibling in the state senate, SB 974, say the language is dangerous and forces any public facilities to open their bathrooms, changing rooms and showers to all persons, regardless of their biological gender.
"These proposed laws are not Republican or Democratic issues," said Gary Dull, executive director of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network, "but rather crucial, timely and concerning for every Pennsylvania family."
Watson said she trusts the legislative process in Harrisburg to remove any ambiguity about the Fairness Act's content that could be interpreted to allow a sexual predator to access a bathroom and endanger a child.
Ted Martin, executive director of the LGBT rights group Pennsylvania Equality, says the bill is long overdue because Pennsylvania remains the only state in the Northeast without any overarching LGBT protection from housing and employment discrimination. He says the fight over restrooms is a red herring designed as a scare tactic.
"There has been some local progress, with 35 local ordinances passed," said Martin. "But, I can go from Lancaster city, which is protected, and cross the border into Lancaster County, which is not. It's hard for people to fathom that Pennsylvania does not have something statewide."
He said he was surprised to see Petri's name on the letter to the president.
"It was astonishing," said Martin. "Rep. Petri seems to me a reasonable and thoughtful man, but he signed this letter without talking to the people in his district that are affected."
Neale Dougherty, a Democratic challenger to Petri's seat in the general election, took the incumbent to task for signing the letter, saying the endorsement shows where Petri's loyalties lie.
"The letter is the very reflection of who he is," said Dougherty, a member of the New Hope-Solebury school board. "He presents himself as a moderate in the district, but in Harrisburg he aligns himself with the right-wing leadership."
Petri has denied reports that he skipped out on the New Hope Pride Parade on Saturday, days after he signed Metcalfe's letter.
"I was there," said Petri, who did not march in the parade. "I usually march with borough officials, but I did not see where they gathered."
His appearance at the borough's annual celebration of LGBT equality was confirmed by other parade attendees, including Solebury Supervisor Kevin Morrissey. Petri said he also attended last year's parade, the first year New Hope was added to the 178th District coverage map.
© Copyright 2016, Bucks County Courier Times, Levittown, PA
http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/local/bucks-lawmakers-sign-rebuke-against-obama-s-transgender-bathroom-letter/article_683e0531-3581-5582-a64f-e72c6d82faef.html
Bucks lawmakers sign rebuke against Obama's transgender bathroom letter
Posted: Monday, May 23, 2016 4:45 pm
By James Boyle, staff writer
-----
State reps from Bucks, Montgomery who signed Metcalfe's letter to President Obama
Kathy Watson, R-144
Craig Staats, R-145
Scott Petri, R-178
Mike Vereb, R-150
Justin Simmons, R-131
Thomas Quigley, R-146
Robert Godshall, R-53
-----
Despite cosponsoring a House bill that protects LGBT individuals from employment and housing discrimination, two Republican state representatives from Bucks County have endorsed a sharp rebuke against President Obama's order for public schools to protect transgender students from discrimination.
Scott Petri, R-178, Kathy Watson, R-144, signed a letter last week from Rep. Daryl Metcalfe, a Republican who chairs the State Government Committee. The letter was addressed to Obama and expressed outrage at his administration's directive to accommodate a student's gender identity. Craig Staats, R-145, also signed.
"The fact that this directive mandates a change in already established law under Title IX with no regard for the legislative process is indefensible," the letter says.
It is in response to a letter dated May 13 from the Civil Rights Division of the U.S. Department of Justice and the U.S. Department of Education's Office for Civil Rights that directs public school administrators to apply the nondiscriminatory guidelines of Title IX to transgender students. The eight-page note reminds school districts that compliance to Title IX is a condition for receiving federal funding.
"Education is a state's rights issue," noted Petri. "That's half the problem with the federal government. It is never supposed to be involved with matters on this level."
Petri and Watson signed on as co-sponsors to House Bill 1510, otherwise known as the Fairness Act. The legislation, resting in the State Government Committee since September, adds language to the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act protecting LGBT individuals from employment and housing discrimination.
Watson recognized that her support of the Fairness Act and signature of Metcalfe's letter appear at odds with each other, but said the explanation is simple.
"The president does not have the right to withhold money that has been appropriated to us in the U.S. budget," said Watson. "If I showed his letter to a police officer, it would be investigated for extortion or blackmail."
Critics of the bill and its sibling in the state senate, SB 974, say the language is dangerous and forces any public facilities to open their bathrooms, changing rooms and showers to all persons, regardless of their biological gender.
"These proposed laws are not Republican or Democratic issues," said Gary Dull, executive director of the Pennsylvania Pastors Network, "but rather crucial, timely and concerning for every Pennsylvania family."
Watson said she trusts the legislative process in Harrisburg to remove any ambiguity about the Fairness Act's content that could be interpreted to allow a sexual predator to access a bathroom and endanger a child.
Ted Martin, executive director of the LGBT rights group Pennsylvania Equality, says the bill is long overdue because Pennsylvania remains the only state in the Northeast without any overarching LGBT protection from housing and employment discrimination. He says the fight over restrooms is a red herring designed as a scare tactic.
"There has been some local progress, with 35 local ordinances passed," said Martin. "But, I can go from Lancaster city, which is protected, and cross the border into Lancaster County, which is not. It's hard for people to fathom that Pennsylvania does not have something statewide."
He said he was surprised to see Petri's name on the letter to the president.
"It was astonishing," said Martin. "Rep. Petri seems to me a reasonable and thoughtful man, but he signed this letter without talking to the people in his district that are affected."
Neale Dougherty, a Democratic challenger to Petri's seat in the general election, took the incumbent to task for signing the letter, saying the endorsement shows where Petri's loyalties lie.
"The letter is the very reflection of who he is," said Dougherty, a member of the New Hope-Solebury school board. "He presents himself as a moderate in the district, but in Harrisburg he aligns himself with the right-wing leadership."
Petri has denied reports that he skipped out on the New Hope Pride Parade on Saturday, days after he signed Metcalfe's letter.
"I was there," said Petri, who did not march in the parade. "I usually march with borough officials, but I did not see where they gathered."
His appearance at the borough's annual celebration of LGBT equality was confirmed by other parade attendees, including Solebury Supervisor Kevin Morrissey. Petri said he also attended last year's parade, the first year New Hope was added to the 178th District coverage map.
© Copyright 2016, Bucks County Courier Times, Levittown, PA
http://www.buckscountycouriertimes.com/news/local/bucks-lawmakers-sign-rebuke-against-obama-s-transgender-bathroom-letter/article_683e0531-3581-5582-a64f-e72c6d82faef.html
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