Today, the House of Representatives passed H.R. 5, the so-called “Equality Act.” Congressman William Timmons (SC-04) opposed this bill and released the following statement: 

“I believe that all people are equal and deserve to be treated with dignity and respect regardless of their sex or sexual orientation. That said, H.R. 5, the so-called ‘Equality Act’ would have the opposite effect and create greater inequalities among women and girls while also violating religious freedom protections. 

“By eliminating sex as a distinct legal category, H.R. 5 threatens women’s safety, health, and opportunities, particularly when it comes to sports. It will destroy female-only sports teams, locker rooms, restrooms, prisons, domestic violence shelters, and more. We have seen this happen across the country, and young women have paid the price to allow biological males to compete in their sports. 

“If that is not bad enough, under the proposed law, a private religious institution could be forced to hire individuals who may not adhere to the teachings of their faith or the institution’s mission. We could see similar scenarios play out at private small businesses and nonprofits across the country.

“This bill is a prime example of blatant government overreach that will have devastating, real-life consequences. While I believe all Americans are entitled to equality under the law, I could not support H.R. 5 as written.”