Pride flag banned from flying over US embassy

On Saturday, March 23, President Joe Biden signed a $1.2 trillion spending bill, ending the threat of a partial government shutdown.

It took nearly six months into the current budget year for lawmakers to cross the government funding finish line, but the process was driven by House conservatives who pushed for greater policy mandates and deeper spending cuts than the Democratic-led Senate and White House. was late. Consider. The impasse necessitated several short-term spending bills to keep government agencies funded.

Days after the government spending bill was signed into law, it went viral on some social media. Post And news headlines claimed that the provision prohibited U.S. embassies from displaying the Pride flag.

Will the government spending bill ban U.S. embassies from displaying Pride flags?

Yes, a provision in the spending bill prohibits flying the Pride flag over U.S. embassies. However, this does not restrict the display of the Pride flag elsewhere on embassy grounds.

A provision in the $1.2 trillion spending package signed into law by Biden effectively bans the LGBTQ+ pride flag from being flown over U.S. embassies. The provision does not ban Pride flags altogether, but only limits the flags that can be flown over the embassy and does not address other areas on embassy grounds.

A provision in the Supplemental Appropriations Act of 2024 specifies which flags can be flown “on U.S. Department of State facilities.” The U.S. Embassy is a Department of State facility.

The Congressional Equality Caucus called the provision “a restriction on displaying or flying the Pride flag on State Department facilities.”

According to the bill's language, except for those listed in the list of exceptions, “Funds appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act shall be used to cover the obligation to fly or display the flag on U.S. Department of State facilities.” shall not be incurred or expended.” . The LGBTQ+ pride flag is not on that list.

In other words, only a selected list of flags can be flown on State Department facilities, such as embassies.

That list includes: Flag of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. POW/MIA flag. Flag of hostages and unjust detainees. The flag of a state, island territory, or District of Columbia. Flags of Indian tribal governments. Officially branded flag for U.S. government agencies. or the sovereign flag of another country.

The spending package's provisions effectively restrict the display of pride flags over embassies, but do not ban their display altogether.

The Human Rights Campaign (HRC), an LBGTQ+ advocacy group, said: “This limited provision means that LGBTQ+ pride flags will continue to be displayed in almost all cases at embassies, except when displayed outside buildings. It will be allowed.”

“This does not impose any restrictions on other displays of the Pride flag, such as hosting LGBTQ+ events or displaying the flag in the workplace of embassy staff,” HRC said.

The White House has described the spending plan as a “compromise,” and a spokesperson told VERIFY that President Biden opposes the Pride flag policy and will work with Congress to “look for opportunities to repeal it.”