Fact Check: Mike Johnson's False Claims About LGBTQ+ Funding and Government Shutdown

Amid the ongoing government shutdown, rhetoric from Republican leaders has included misleading claims about Democratic priorities, particularly concerning LGBTQ+ issues. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R-LA) recently faced scrutiny for suggesting that Democrats are demanding funds for LGBTQ+ initiatives as a condition to end the shutdown, a claim debunked by independent fact-checkers.

Unpacking the Myth: LGBTQ+ Balkans Funding

For weeks, Republicans have accused Democrats of leveraging LGBTQ+ issues in negotiations to reopen the federal government, despite these issues not being part of the legislative resolutions at hand. Speaker Johnson's recent statements caught the attention of Snopes, a respected myth-busting website, which found his claims to be unfounded.

The current shutdown stems from Congress's failure to pass budget legislation. Both Senate Democrats and Republicans proposed continuing resolutions to maintain government funding, but neither proposal garnered the necessary 60 votes to overcome a filibuster. The primary contention between the parties lies in health care subsidies, with Democrats aiming to preserve these benefits while Republicans propose letting them expire.

Political Posturing and the Blame Game

Democrats emphasize that the lack of agreement is primarily about health care. They argue that Republicans are allowing the shutdown to drive up health care costs for Americans while enabling tax breaks for the wealthy. The Democratic resolution also seeks to enhance Congress's fiscal oversight, requiring the White House to adhere to funding agreements.

Conversely, Republicans are attempting to shift focus, blaming the shutdown on alleged Democratic demands for "transgender for everybody" and free health care for undocumented immigrants—claims with no basis in proposed legislation.

During a press conference, Johnson asserted that Democrats are seeking "money to foreign countries" for programs such as "$4 million for LGBTQI+ democracy grants in the Balkans" and "$2 million for feminist democratic principles projects in Africa." These statements have been echoed by Republican allies online, further fueling misinformation.

The Fact-Checker's Perspective

Snopes evaluated Johnson's claims and found no evidence of Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) or any Democratic lawmaker explicitly demanding funds for LGBTQ+ initiatives as a condition to end the shutdown. The myth likely originates from the administration's attempt to rescind a $3.9 million grant to Outright International, approved in 2022 to promote democracy among LGBTQ+ people in the Western Balkans. This grant, like others, was cut by the administration without Congressional consent, raising questions about the legality of such actions.

Johnson's remarks mischaracterized the grant as new spending, despite it being part of a previously approved budget extending until 2027. His comments appear to be an effort to divert attention from the contentious health care credits at the center of the shutdown dispute.

Responses from the LGBTQ+ Advocacy Community

LGBTQ Nation reached out to Rep. Mark Takano (D-CA), chair of the Congressional Equality Caucus, for his take on Johnson's allegations. Takano dismissed the notion that LGBTQ+ funding or laws are contributing factors to the shutdown. "Absolutely none," he stated unequivocally. "Our funding bill does not include any changes to current laws as they relate to medical care for transgender people," he added.

Takano's comments reaffirm the consistent Democratic narrative focusing on health care and fiscal accountability, not LGBTQ+ issues, as central to the shutdown negotiations.

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As the government shutdown continues, it remains crucial to discern facts from political rhetoric, ensuring that the narratives shaping public opinion are grounded in truth.