Obama may veto defense bill over provision protecting religious freedom

White House officials have indicated that President Barack Obama might veto the defense authorization bill if its final version includes a religious freedom amendment that protects faith-based contractors and other religious institutions.

The National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) for the fiscal year of 2017 includes a provision introduced by Rep. Steve Russell that would apply the religious exemptions under Title VII of the Civil Rights Act and the Americans with Disabilities Act to federal grants and contracts.

In an article for the Daily Signal, Roger Severino wrote that the provision would prevent the government from canceling contracts and grants from faith-based organizations with hiring policies that are based on its religious beliefs.

Roll Call reported that senior administration officials have said that President Barack Obama is prepared to veto the bill if it includes the provision.

Critics are concerned that the amendment would allow religiously affiliated contractors that transact with government agencies to discriminate against employees based on religious views.

Russell argued that the amendment only ensures that the contractors would not have to violate their beliefs to be in business with the government.

"We are accused of hatred, called out as shameful, and enjoined to use the whole Constitution to support an opposing view that embodies behavior, mores and outcomes that not only violate our conscience, but have been prohibited under the laws of nature and nature's God," he said in a May House floor speech.

A letter signed by 42 Senate Democrats was sent to Armed Service leaders calling on them to make sure that the Russell provision is excluded from the conference report.

It warned that the provision would allow religiously affiliated organizations "to engage in discriminatory hiring practices" while using taxpayer dollars.

"This provision would also allow religiously-affliliated contractors and grantees to inquire about and discriminate against employees or potential employees based on an individual's religion. No one should be disqualified from a taxpayer-funded job based on their religion," it stated.

Justin Johnson, who specializes in defense budgets and policies for the Allison Center for National Security and Foreign Policy, noted that Obama vetoed the NDAA last year because he did not want to increase the defense budget without increasing funding for other priorities unrelated to national defense.