U.S. President Joe Biden signed on March 23 a $1.2 trillion spending package that keeps the government funded until the autumn after it cleared Congress hours earlier.

U.S. President Joe Biden signed on March 23 a $1.2 trillion spending package that keeps the government funded until the autumn after it cleared Congress hours earlier.

  • gregorum@lemm.eeEnglish
    3·
    10 months ago

    Biden is not responsible for this. It’s the one remaining (of 40) anti-lgbtq “poison-pill” riders on the bill that didn’t get stripped, and it only prohibits “flying” a Pride flag or using State Dept funds from buying new ones. And only until the new budget in September.

    What it does not prohibit is draping or festooning Pride flags, painting them on the sides of buildings, rainbow light displays/projections (or any other creative use of pride flags or rainbow/pride displays), nor for existing Pride flags to be used for such purposes or for donated flags, etc. to be used or those supplied privately.

    The ban is pretty weak, and almost certainly temporary.

    • SpeakinTelnet@sh.itjust.works
      1·
      10 months ago

      To support your point, here’s the relevant extracts of the bill:

      SEC . 8037. None of the funds made available in this Act, or any subsequent Act making appropriations for the Department of Defense, may be used for the purchase or manufacture of a flag of the United States unless such flags are treated as covered items under section 4862(b) of title 10, United States Code.

      (b) None of the funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be obligated or expended to fly or display a flag over a facility of the United States Department of State other than the

      • (1) United States flag;
      • (2) Foreign Service flag pursuant to 2 FAM1 154.2–1;
      • (3) POW/MIA flag;
      • (4) Hostage and Wrongful Detainee flag, pursuant to section 904 of title 36, United States Code;
      • (5) flag of a State, insular area, or the District of Columbia at domestic locations;
      • (6) flag of an Indian Tribal government;
      • (7) official branded flag of a United States agency; or
      • (8) sovereign flag of other countries.