Gay Marriage In The US Now At Risk As Republicans Fail To Support Biden’s Respect For Marriage Act In The Senate
In light of the turbulent political climate in the US, Congress has been organising new legislation that would protect the right of same-sex marriage and interracial marriage for millions of Americans.
President Biden’s Respect For Marriage Act was prepared to be put to a vote but has been pushed back to the midterm elections in November due to a lack of Republican support, reports TIME.
GOP FILIBUSTERING PLACES RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT AT RISK
The proposed Respect For Marriage Act has been a carefully negotiated legislation that requires bipartisan involvement. The Democrats have been seeking legislative safeguards for same-sex marriage and interracial marriage for years and the Respect For Marriage Act would have created that foundation.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer would have announced a vote be held early next week, however, negotiations weren’t able to secure ten Republican votes needed to break a Senate filibuster, reports TIME.
The Respect For Marriage Act is a response from government to the Supreme Court’s overruling of Roe Vs Wade in June, 2022. Concerns about Obergefell Vs Hodges and Loving Vs Virginia being overturned has motivated bipartisan negotiations to codify these rulings into law. When the Respect For Marriage Act was put to a vote on July 19 in the House of Representatives, it passed with 267-157 votes for the bill. According to TIME, the House vote saw 47 Republicans cross the floor to vote with the bill.
In a joint statement, lead negotiators Tammy Baldwin, Kyrsten Sinema, Susan Collins, Rob Portman and Thom Tillis say, “The Respect For Marriage Act is a simple but important step which provides certainty to millions of Americans in loving marriages.
“Through bipartisan collaboration, we’ve crafted commonsense language that respects religious liberty and Americans’ diverse beliefs, while upholding our view that marriage embodies the highest ideals of love, devotion, and family.”
The key to getting the six Republican votes needed to break the filibuster may lie in language surrounding religious liberty. If negotiators can satisfy conservative concerns about the right to religious viewpoints, it may be enough to draw in fence-sitting voters.
IS IT NOT ENOUGH TO LET PEOPLE MARRY WHO THEY WANT?
Beyond the political arena, the Respect For Marriage Act has major public support. Gallup polls report US support for same-sex marriage is at a record high of 71%. This data has shown a steady increase in support since 1996 when the poll was first introduced. Even church-going individuals who are reportedly the least likely to support same-sex marriage have 40% approval.
The widely popular, bipartisan Respect For Marriage Act is not about religion or state’s rights; it’s about equality. This bill has been carefully negotiated between both sides of the political floor to ensure that all perspectives are heard and respected. Cutting away the political gymnastics, the only logical reason that the GOP has to oppose the bill is an essential belief that same-sex couples and interracial couples don’t have the right to marriage.
