Washington, DC - Today, U.S. Representative Mike Quigley (IL-05), Ranking Member of the Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, and Related Agencies (THUD) Appropriations Subcommittee, and Representatives Chrissy Houlahan (PA-06), Brendan Boyle (PA-01), and Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) responded to Republican attacks on LGBTQI+ Community Funding Projects submitted by Boyle, Houlahan, and Pressley.


Following Republican passage of an amendment to remove these projects, Quigley introduced his own amendment to return them to the bill.


"Today's actions by the House Committee on Appropriations broke my heart but not my resolve to advocate for our community," said Houlahan. "This effort to target LGBTQ+ centers was an example of how broken Congress can be. My office’s selection process for Community Project Funding has been recognized for its thorough and nonpartisan systems because we use an independent board of community leaders from the Sixth District of Pennsylvania. It is fair. It is balanced. And it meets all metrics that have been put in place by the majority party. That means that today this committee is trying to override the will of my constituents in Pennsylvania and in doing so, they specifically targeted LGBTQ+ projects and deemed them 'offensive'.  No one, no one in Washington knows what's best for our community more than our own community members. It is outrageous, undemocratic, and un-American."

“Among the 2,680 Community Funding Projects before THUD, Republicans have chosen to target the only three Democratic projects that explicitly reference the LGBTQI+ community, despite being fully eligible and publicly vetted months ago. At the same time, they preserved nearly identical projects sponsored by vulnerable Republican members of the committee. Hypocrisy aside, while the Republicans were quick to argue this amendment wasn’t based on prejudice, the fact of the matter is that they only targeted 0.111% of projects. These projects were explicitly LGBTQI+ related – the motivation speaks for itself,” said Ranking Member Quigley. “These are good, important projects that will have a positive impact on their communities. They help meet critical needs for LGBTQI+ people. I will not stand by and be silent as Republicans wage their extremist homophobic culture war.”

“The William Way Community Center is a historic building that has been a beacon of hope and support for Philadelphia's LGBTQ community for decades. It has provided vital social services, including employment counseling, meals for seniors, and many other resources,” said Boyle. The William Way Center clearly qualifies for Community Project Funding based on the merits. The only reason why it is now being targeted to lose these dollars is because of disgusting and ugly bigotry. I condemn those House Republicans for voting to strip away funding for the William Way Center. It is disturbing that House Republicans have chosen this dark path. Discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation is wrong.”


“Day in and day out, Republicans demonstrate the contempt they have for the most vulnerable people in America, and their stripping critical housing funding for senior members of the LGBTQ+ community in the Massachusetts 7th is the latest example of that,” said Pressley. “Let’s be clear: The Pryde – a senior citizen housing project – meets the committee’s stated requirements for Community Project Funding guidance and would meet a critical need in the Massachusetts 7th Congressional District. It is unconscionable that Republican committee members would hold senior citizen-specific housing hostage and continue their dangerous national trend of targeting the LGBTQ+ community. This process is intended for our communities to advocate for projects that have the highest impact, and this move by Republicans is blatant homophobia designed to attack some of our most vulnerable seniors. To our LGBTQ+ siblings, know you are seen and loved, and I won’t stop fighting to get this funding over the finish line and advance the critical investments you need not only to survive but to thrive.”


Watch Rep. Houlahan’s response on the House Floor here.