The Senate took a historic step on Tuesday by passing legislation that would enshrine same-sex marriage rights introduce the law and give gay unions federal protection.
The vote to pass the Respect for Marriage Act was bipartisan — 61 to 36 — with a sizable bloc of Republicans joining every Democrat in approval of the landmark bill. It is now headed to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to be passed as early as next week.
Wisconsin Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay woman to serve in the Senate, said its passage should allay concerns among same-sex and interracial couples who fear their civil marriages could be annulled.
“The Senate has an opportunity to allay those fears and give millions of people in same-sex and interracial marriages the confidence, dignity and respect they need and deserve,” she said before the vote.
Senators approved the bill in response to fears that the Supreme Court – with a conservative 6-3 majority – would overturn its 2015 decision legalizing same-sex marriage once it was overturned in June the Roe v. Wade decision protecting access to abortion.
“With today’s bipartisan Senate passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, the United States is on the verge of reaffirming a fundamental truth: love is love, and Americans should have the right to marry the person they love,” President Joe Biden said in a statement. statement. “It also ensures that for generations to come, LGBTQI+ youth will grow up knowing that they, too, can lead full, happy lives and build their families.”
A number of Republicans argued that the bill would violate the rights of churches and other religious organizations, which would be penalized for refusing to participate in or recognize same-sex unions. But the bill’s bipartisan authors said the religious freedom language inserted into the measure would protect those organizations from such violations.
- The Respect for Marriage Act would guarantee federal recognition of any marriage between two people if the union was valid in the state where they were married.
- Now he moves to the House which approved a similar bill earlier this year with the support of nearly 50 Republicans. Voting in the Chamber can take place as early as next Tuesday.
- The bill was prepared in response to the Supreme Court decision overturn Roe v. Wade this summer and Justice Clarence Thomas delivered interest in the next revision of same-sex and interracial marriage rights.
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Senator Collins: List of religious groups will return to amended legislation
In an effort to show that the bill would not destroy religious freedom, as some Republicans have argued, Sen. Susan Collins, R-Maine, said the Respect for Marriage Act listed several religious organizations that supported the amended measure, including: Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints Christ of Latter-day Saints, the Seventh-day Adventist Church, the National Association of Evangelicals, and the Union of Orthodox Jewish Communities.
“A religious group leader recently wrote that our legislation, as amended, sends a strong message to Congress, the administration and the public that LGTBQ rights can coexist with religious protections,” she said.
– Rachel Luker
Senator Lankford: Respect for Marriage Act ‘would put religious freedom at great risk’
Oklahoma Sen. James Lankford introduced another amendment to the Respect for Marriage Act, saying the current version of the law does not protect the religious freedom of all Americans.
He expressed concern that this would lead to lawsuits over what defines a partnership.
“I urge everyone in this body to ask themselves a very simple question: is today about respecting the rights of all, or about silencing some and respecting others?” he said.
– Rachel Luker
Ohio Republican Senator Portman urges colleagues to support same-sex rights bill
Ohio Sen. Rob Portman called on his colleagues for bipartisan support to pass the Respect for Marriage Act.
Portman pushed back against conservative critics, saying the bill would protect people of faith as well as same-sex married couples.
“The American people want us to settle this issue, and millions of married American couples, including many in Ohio, are counting on us to recognize and protect their marriages and give them peace of mind,” he said.
– Rachel Luker
Republicans are pushing amendments to weaken the Respect for Marriage Act
Three Republican senators introduced amendments to the Respect for Marriage Act Thursday afternoon that seek to protect religious freedoms beyond what the bill allows. Utah Senator Mike Lee introduced one amendment to minimize threats to religious organizations and individuals.
Lee said religious organizations, schools and small businesses would be hurt by the bill, which would require states that don’t recognize same-sex marriage to accept same-sex couples who are legally married in another state. He said his amendment would prohibit the federal government from discriminating against those organizations based on religious beliefs.
“Rabbis, imams, pastors should never be forced to marry against their beliefs,” Lee said.
– Rachel Luker
The same-sex vote will be personal for Sen. Chuck Schumer
For Chuck Schumer, today’s Senate vote to enshrine gay marriage is more than just a legislative victory, it’s also a personal triumph.
The Senate Majority Leader’s youngest daughter, Alison, married his wife in 2018 — a union that once seemed ironclad but came to light this summer when the U.S. Supreme Court overturned precedent on abortion access by overturning Roe. against Wade. Other precedents, including the court’s 2015 ruling recognizing same-sex marriage, also suddenly seemed at risk, Schumer said.
“It’s a scary but necessary recognition that, despite all the progress we’ve made, the constitutional right to same-sex marriage is not even a decade old and only exists because of a very narrow 5-4 Supreme Court decision,” – he said on the Senate floor Tuesday. “And we all know that the court has changed since that decision. As we’ve seen this year, what the court has decided in the past can easily be taken away in the future.”
Schumer, wearing the same purple tie he wore to his daughter’s wedding, said the first call he would make once the bill passed would be to Alison, who is expecting a baby this spring.
“I want them to raise their child with all the love and security that every child deserves,” he said, choking up. “And the bill we’re passing today will ensure that their rights are not violated just because they’re in a same-sex marriage.”
– King Ledge
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Respect for Marriage Act: Religious protections added to bill Monday
The Senate on Monday cleared the way for the bill while protecting religious freedom, setting up final passage of the Respect for Marriage Act on Tuesday.
The House voted 61-35 to defeat a filibuster that would have prevented the bill from moving forward.
If approved, individuals or groups would not be required by law to provide wedding ceremony or celebration services if it conflicts with their religious beliefs. Nor will it recognize polygamous unions.
– Savannah Kuchar and Ledge King
The Senate is advancing the bill on Monday:The Senate is advancing a same-sex marriage bill that also includes religious freedom protections
What is in the Respect for Marriage Act?
The bill would guarantee federal recognition of any marriage between two people as long as the union was valid in the state where it took place.
It would also require states to recognize the validity of a valid marriage performed elsewhere, but would not require states to issue marriage licenses that conflict with their own laws.
Individuals or groups will not be required by law to provide services for a wedding ceremony or celebration if it conflicts with their religious beliefs. Nor will it recognize polygamous unions.
– Savannah Kuchar and Ledge King
