Preacher of the House Mike Johnson snuck a provision in the $1.2 trillion budget package passed on Friday as the country neared a fiscal cliff that banned US embassies and consulates overseas from flying the LGBTQ Pride flag, CBS News reports.
Johnson used the ban as a selling point to try to get members of the far-right and evangelicals to vote for the budget plan, but the majority of votes passing the budget bill in the House came from Democrats. The White House said that it was unable to cut the provision, but it did cut more than 50 amendments aimed at the LGBTQ community.
“President Biden believes it was inappropriate to abuse the process that is essential to keep the government open by including this policy targeting LGBTQI+ Americans,” White House press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre posted on social media. “We fought this policy and will work with Congress to repeal it.”