House Republicans Strip the LGBT Center of Greater Reading of Its Funding

House Republicans are going after various LGBT-related projects

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The LGBT Center of Greater Reading has been in dire straits about its financial future ever since U.S. House Republicans slashed funding meant for their use that was acquired by U.S. Representative Chrissy Houlahan. This was an unprecedented move by Republicans who have been passing anti-LGBT bills around the country.

The center was earmarked to receive $970,000 for its transitional housing program through the Community Project Funding program, which allows each of the country’s 435 House members to nominate up to 15 projects for federal funding.

The center said the U.S. House of Representatives reviewed and passed all 2,668 community funding projects submitted, except for grant funding to three LGBTQ+ community organizations. The LGBT Center of Greater Reading was among those excluded, along with the William Way LGBT Community Center in Philadelphia and an LGBT organization in Massachusetts.

The vote was 32 to 26, along party lines.

Michelle Dech, executive director of the Reading center, said the committee's decision will cost them nearly $1,000,000 in necessary funding.

"Today's actions by the House Committee on Appropriations broke my heart but not my resolve to advocate for our community," said Congresswoman Chrissy Houlahan (D PA-06.) "This effort to target LGBTQ+ centers was an example of how broken Congress can be. My office’s selection process for Community Project Funding has been recognized for its thorough and nonpartisan systems because we use an independent board of community leaders from the Sixth District of Pennsylvania. It is fair. It is balanced. And it meets all metrics that have been put in place by the majority party. That means that today, this committee is trying to override the will of my constituents in Pennsylvania and in doing so, they specifically targeted LGBTQ+ projects and deemed them 'offensive'. No one, no one in Washington knows what's best for our community more than our own community members. It is outrageous, undemocratic and un-American."

Republican Congressman Ryan Zinke voted in support of taking the funding from the LGBT centers. He says that taxpayers shouldn't have to fund the services that the LGBT centers provide their clients, such as counseling for hormone replacement therapy and other forms of gender-affirming care.

Officials at the center say this decision impacts the entire community of Greater Reading and funds would have enabled them to provide temporary housing to the Berks County LGBTQ+ community who are homeless or in need of emergency shelter.

The LGBT Center of Greater Reading provides critical assistance like free mental health counseling, support groups, transportation assistance, free warm meals, clothing vouchers, and other vital community services.

The LGBT Center of Greater Reading said it is confident legislators are pursuing all possible options to support its mission.