Rep. Gerry Connolly, D-Va., opposed a bill on Tuesday condemning the persecution of Christians in Nigeria because it failed to also include the LGBTQ population.
The House Foreign Affairs Committee on Tuesday performed markups on a bill condemning violations of religious freedoms in Nigeria, including the ongoing persecution and murder of Christians. Connolly, a member of the committee, said he didn’t favor the bill in its current form because it failed to encompass a broader condemnation of all persecution in Nigeria, including against “the gay and lesbian community.”
“Congress can’t simply say, ‘We’re only concerned about Christian persecution.’ We’re concerned about anyone’s human rights being violated,” Connolly said during the committee markup session on Tuesday. “And by the way, that includes the gay and lesbian community, which…