US Senate Republicans Vote Against Same-Sex Marriage Bill

The US Senate took a major step in passing a bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriages on Wednesday. 

In a vote of 62-37, including 12 Republicans, the Senate voted to start formal debate on the Respect For Marriage Act, with a final vote expected as early as Thursday. 

Ensures Same-Sex Marriage is Legally Recognised

According to a summary of the bill, the Respect for Marriage Act would “require the federal government to recognize a marriage between two individuals if the marriage was valid in the state where it was performed.”

The bill would formally ensure that same-sex marriage is legally recognised under the law, mitigating the threat from a conservative Supreme Court, in the wake of the overturning of Roe v Wade.

In June, the US Supreme Court voted 6-3 to strike down the 1973 abortion rights ruling.

Justice Clarence Thomas’s Threat

At the time, Justice Clarence Thomas, one of the judges who voted with the majority, wrote in his decision, “In future cases, we should reconsider all of this court’s substantive due process precedents, including Griswold, Lawrence, and Obergefell.”

Lawerence v. Texas decriminalised homosexuality in the US when it upheld the right to engage in private sexual acts and Obergefell v. Hodges legalised same-sex marriages. 

One of the Lead co-sponsors, and the first openly LGBTQ woman elected to Congress, Senator Tammy Baldwin, said, “Individuals in same-sex marriages and interracial marriages need and deserve the confidence and the certainty that their marriages are legal and will remain legal. These loving couples should be guaranteed the same rights and freedoms as every other marriage.”

In a tweet, she wrote, “This is a HUGE win and we are one step closer to ensuring same-sex and interracial couples have the same rights & freedoms as everyone else!”

Today, the Senate made it clear that we stand with the American people by voting to move forward with the #RespectForMarriageAct.

This is a HUGE win and we are one step closer to ensuring same-sex and interracial couples have the same rights & freedoms as everyone else!

— Sen. Tammy Baldwin (@SenatorBaldwin) November 16, 2022

Utah Senator and one of the Republicans who voted in favour of the bill said in a statement, “While I believe in traditional marriage, Obergefell is and has been the law of the land upon which LGBTQ individuals have relied. This legislation provides certainty to many LGBTQ Americans, and it signals that Congress, and I, esteem and love all of our fellow Americans equally.”

My statement on the Respect for Marriage Act: pic.twitter.com/jaVL1k0wE5

— Senator Mitt Romney (@SenatorRomney) November 16, 2022

Oregon Senator Jeff Merkley, a Democrat, tweeted, “In the face of an extremist Supreme Court intent on chipping away at our fundamental rights, it’s critical that we codify marriage equality in federal law. We need to pass the Respect for Marriage Act in the Senate and send it to @POTUS’s desk.”

In the face of an extremist Supreme Court intent on chipping away at our fundamental rights, it’s critical that we codify marriage equality in federal law. We need to pass the Respect for Marriage Act in the Senate and send it to @POTUS’s desk.

— Senator Jeff Merkley (@SenJeffMerkley) November 16, 2022

Massachusets Senator Elizabeth Warren, a Democrat, tweeted, “The right to marry the person you love shouldn’t be up for debate. But Justice Clarence Thomas warned that he’d put it at risk—so the Senate is taking action to protect marriage equality no matter what the Supreme Court does. We’re going to get this done.”

The right to marry the person you love shouldn’t be up for debate. But Justice Clarence Thomas warned that he’d put it at risk—so the Senate is taking action to protect marriage equality no matter what the Supreme Court does. We’re going to get this done.

— Elizabeth Warren (@ewarren) November 16, 2022

On Tuesday, in a marked shift, the Mormon Church issued a statement in support of the bill, saying, “We are grateful for the continuing efforts of those who work to ensure the Respect for Marriage Act includes appropriate religious freedom protections while respecting the law and preserving the rights of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters.

“We believe this approach is the way forward. As we work together to preserve the principles and practices of religious freedom together with the rights of LGBTQ individuals, much can be accomplished to heal relationships and foster greater understanding.”

The bill, once passed by the Senate, now goes on to the House for the second time. After which it goes to President Joe Biden for his signature.