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A28 u.s. news
Diaranson 23 Februari 2022

High court takes case involving refusal to serve gay couples

run afoul of a Colorado anti- Phil Weiser said the Supreme Colorado Anti-Discrimina-
discrimination law. Smith Court has consistently held tion Act.
had argued the law violates that anti-discrimination laws
her free speech and religious like the one in his state apply The law, which prohibits
rights. to all businesses selling goods discrimination on the basis
and services. of sexual orientation, is the
The Supreme Court said in same one at issue in the case
taking the case that it would “Companies cannot turn of Colorado baker Jack Phil-
look only at the free speech away LGBT customers just lips that was decided in 2018
issue. It said it would decide because of who they are,” by the U.S. Supreme Court.
whether a law that requires Weiser said in an emailed
an artist to speak or stay silent statement. “We will vigorous- The high court said at the
violates the free speech clause ly defend Colorado’s laws, time that the Colorado Civ-
of the First Amendment. The which protect all Coloradans il Rights Commission had
case is expected to be argued by preventing discrimination acted with anti-religious bias
(AP) — The Supreme rie Smith. The Denver-area in the fall. and upholding free speech.” against Phillips after he re-
Court has agreed to hear designer offers graphic and fused to bake a cake for two
a new clash involving reli- website design services and Smith’s attorney, Kristen In a 2-1 ruling last year, the men who were getting mar-
gion and the rights of LG- wants to expand to wed- Waggoner, said in a statement Denver-based 10th U.S. Cir- ried. But it did not rule on
BTQ people in the case of ding website services, but after the court agreed to hear cuit Court of Appeals denied the larger issue of whether a
a Colorado web designer she says her Christian beliefs the case that “Colorado has Smith’s attempt to overturn business can invoke religious
who says her religious be- would lead her to decline weaponized its law to silence a lower court ruling throw- objections to refuse service to
liefs prevent her from of- any request from a same-sex speech it disagrees with, to ing out her legal challenge. LGBTQ people.
fering wedding website couple to design a wedding compel speech it approves of, The panel said Colorado had
designs to gay couples. website. She also wants to and to punish anyone who a compelling interest in pro- The Arizona-based Alliance
post a statement on her web- dares to dissent.” tecting the “dignity interests” Defending Freedom repre-
The high court said Tuesday site about her beliefs. Doing of members of marginalized sented Phillips and repre-
it would hear the case of Lo- those things, however, would Colorado Attorney General groups through its law, the sents Smith.

Biden agency vacancies to drag on White House priorities

(AP) — For more than a open positions. ing the undersecretary for the post, which he had held increases in traffic fatalities.
year, the Food and Drug international affairs and trea- briefly under Obama. The third agency, the Na-
Administration lacked a The White House says the surer of the U.S. tional Highway Traffic Safety
permanent head when the Biden administration has The National Institutes of Administration, is awaiting
agency was central in the nominated 569 people, of A Treasury Department Health is also missing a di- full Senate confirmation of
battle against COVID-19. whom 302 have been con- without an international af- rector, although budget un- Steven Cliff, Biden’s pick to
Once President Joe Biden firmed and 247 are waiting to fairs head will make Secretary certainty is currently a big- head the agency, after a com-
nominated Dr. Robert go through the confirmation Janet Yellen’s hope to lead the ger concern, said Ellie De- mittee approved the nomina-
Califf to head the agency, process. That’s out of 1,200 implementation of a global honey a top policy expert tion Feb. 2.
it took the Senate three civilian positions requiring corporate taxation agreement with Research!America, a
months to confirm him. Senate confirmation. increasingly difficult. nonprofit that advocates for The department also lacks
national spending on health a nominee for head of the
The political battles over Cal- In Biden’s first year, the Sen- Lew told The Associated and medical research. Pipeline Hazardous Materi-
iff’s nomination highlight the ate confirmed 41% of his Press that having Senate- als Safety Administration and
difficulties that Biden faces in nominations, according to confirmed people with prior Staff morale remains steady will soon have a vacancy as
filling key positions through- the Partnership for Public policymaking and govern- nonetheless. “What we have well for head of the Federal
out his administration. Service. In comparison, 75% ment experience on staff will heard around NIH is a desire Aviation Administration after
of George W. Bush’s nomi- at least fill in the gaps where to stay and particularly to see Stephen Dickson steps down
The vacancies in high-rank- nees were confirmed in his vacancies exist. through this pandemic,” De- on March 31.
ing positions across the exec- first year, compared with honey said.
utive branch could put a drag 69% for Barack Obama and The key to filling empty At the highway agency, dep-
on Biden’s ability to fight the 57% for Donald Trump. seats, he said, “is getting the At the Transportation De- uty administrator Stephanie
pandemic, implement the $1 congressional process to partment, acting heads are Pollack, a former state trans-
trillion bipartisan infrastruc- work better.” in place at the Federal High- portation secretary in Massa-
ture law and boost the econ- The group is calling for a way Administration and the chusetts, is key in implement-
omy with inflation levels at a reduction in the number of At the Department of Health Federal Motor Carrier Safety ing provisions of Biden’s
40-year high. Senate-confirmed nominees, and Human Services, two Administration, two of the new infrastructure law, such
stating that vetting and dis- major science agencies re- three agencies at the fore- as helping to issue guidance
The nonprofit Partnership closure requirements are in- main without permanent front of promoting roadway to states on use of billions
for Public Service, which creasingly complex, and de- Senate-confirmed leadership safety, even as the depart- in highway money and dis-
works to make government lays in the Senate confirma- at a time as the administra- ment launches a new nation- tribute competitive grants to
more effective, points to 70 tion process grow with each tion struggles with its com- al strategy to stave off record promote traffic safety.
high-ranking positions across transition. munications on the pandem-
the government without a ic and the country might be
confirmed nominee, includ- Lew was confirmed by the reopening.
ing at the Department of Senate less than two months
Health and Human Services, after he was nominated by One of the agencies is the
the Treasury Department and Obama. FDA. Califf’s nomination
the Transportation Depart- had stalled for months in
ment. What the vacancies mean for the Senate in part due to his
some of Biden’s policy pri- consulting work for phar-
The White House blames orities: maceutical companies and
gridlock from Republicans allegations that he had failed
in a sharply divided Senate, At the Treasury Department, to effectively regulate ad-
but it also has not submitted at least five Senate-confirmed dictive opioids. He was nar-
nominations for many of the positions are unfilled, includ- rowly confirmed last week to