5/26/16: Allen Read A Bible Verse That Called For The Death Of LGBTQ+ People Before Congress Voted On A Spending Bill That Included An Amendment Barring Discrimination Based On Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity. According to Roll Call, “House Republicans at a conference meeting heard a Bible verse that calls for death for homosexuals shortly before the chamber voted on the morning of May 26 to reject a spending bill that included an amendment barring discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity. Whether the freshman member who gave the prayer intended to condemn members of the LGBT community has left Republicans and Democrats deeply divided. What’s certain is that the Energy-Water appropriations bill that came to the floor later in the morning was defeated on a resounding 112-305 vote, with a majority of the GOP caucus in opposition. Georgia Rep. Rick W. Allen led the opening prayer by reading from Romans 1:18-32, and Revelations 22:18-19. An aide to Allen told CQ that Allen did not mention the upcoming vote on the Energy-Water spending bill or an amendment that would reinforce a presidential directive prohibiting federal contractors from discriminating against LGBT employees.” [Roll Call, 5/26/16]
Several GOP Lawmakers Were Reportedly “Uncomfortable And Upset” By Allen’s Comments. According to The Hill, “Rep. Rick Allen, a Georgia freshman, launched the GOP’s regular policy meeting in the Capitol basement by reading a Bible passage condemning homosexuality and suggesting that supporters of the LGBT provision, which passed the House the night before, were defying Christian tenets, attendees said. Several Republicans walked out of the room in disgust. ‘It was f—ing ridiculous,’ said one GOP lawmaker, who was in the room and supported the LGBT provision. A GOP leadership aide offered a similar verdict. ’A lot of members were clearly uncomfortable and upset,’ the aide said. Allen’s office did not respond to a request for comment Thursday. A spokeswoman for House Speaker Paul Ryan (R-Wis.) declined to comment.” [Hill, 5/26/16]
7/22/15: Allen Cosponsored A House Resolution That Disagreed With The Supreme Court’s Ruling In Obergefell V. Hodges. In July 2015, Rick Allen cosponsored House Resolution 359, “Declares that the House of Representatives: (1) disagrees with the Supreme Court's majority opinion in Obergefell v. Hodges and its holdings that the Fourteenth Amendment to the Constitution requires states to license marriages between same-sex couples and requires states to recognize same-sex marriages performed out-of-state; and (2) agrees with the four dissenting opinions, which uphold the traditional definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman and the original meaning of the Fourteenth Amendment. Expresses the sense of the House that: the traditional definition of marriage is a union between one man and one woman; the majority opinion in Obergefell unconstitutionally and indefensibly distorts the definition of marriage; states may refuse to be bound by the holding in Obergefell; states are not required to license same-sex marriage or recognize same-sex marriages performed in other states; and individuals, businesses, churches, religious groups, and other faith-based organizations are encouraged, empowered, and protected to exercise their faith without fear of legal or government interference.” [H.Res. 359, “Providing That The House Of Representatives Disagrees With The Majority Opinion In Obergefell Et Al. V. Hodges,” Introduced 7/10/15, Cosponsored 7/22/15]
7/19/22: Allen Voted Against The Respect For Marriage Act, Which Provided Statutory Authority For Same-Sex And Interracial Marriage. In July 2022, Allen voted against House Bill 8404, “This act provides statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages. Specifically, the act replaces provisions that define, for purposes of federal law, marriage as between a man and a woman and spouse as a person of the opposite sex with provisions that recognize any marriage between two individuals that is valid under state law. (The Supreme Court held that the current provisions were unconstitutional in United States v. Windsor in 2013.) The act also replaces provisions that do not require states to recognize same-sex marriages from other states with provisions that prohibit the denial of full faith and credit or any right or claim relating to out-of-state marriages on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin. (The Supreme Court held that state laws barring same-sex marriages were unconstitutional in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015; the Court held that state laws barring interracial marriages were unconstitutional in Loving v. Virginia in 1967.) The act allows the Department of Justice to bring a civil action and establishes a private right of action for violations.” [House Vote 373, 7/19/22; Congressional Actions, H.R. 8404]
2023: Allen Did Not Support Rep. Tom Emmer For House Speaker Because Emmer Supported Same-Sex Marriage. According to an opinion by LZ Granderson published in the LA Times, “And judging from how the speaker selection process played out over the weeks after the ouster of Rep. Kevin McCarthy (R-Bakersfield), the Republican Party looks more than willing to go after the queer community with him. Of the three speaker nominations before Johnson’s, the fastest one to collapse was that of House Majority Whip Tom Emmer of Minnesota. It lasted barely four hours. One of the key issues cited by his opposition: his support of same-sex marriage. ‘I told him it wasn’t between he and I,’ said Rep. Rick Allen (R-Ga.) about why he opposed Emmer. ‘It was between he and the teachings of Jesus Christ.’” [LZ Granderson Opinion – LA Times, 10/27/23]