A dozen Republicans voted with all Democrats to advance the legislation, meaning a final vote could come as soon as this week or later this month. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the bill to ensure unions are legally recognized under the law is an opportunity for the Senate to “live up to its highest ideals” and protect marriage equality for all people. “It’s going to make our country a better, fairer place to live,” Schumer said, noting that his daughter and her wife are expecting a baby next year. Senate Democrats are moving quickly to pass the bill, while the party still controls the House. Republicans are on the verge of winning a majority in the House and are unlikely to take up the issue next year. The bill has gained steady momentum since the US Supreme Court’s June decision overturning Roe v. Wade and the federal right to abortion. An opinion at the time by Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that a previous Supreme Court ruling protecting same-sex marriage could also be threatened. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer told reporters today that the same-sex marriage law is personal to him because his daughter is married to a woman. (J. Scott Applewhite/The Associated Press) The legislation would repeal the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as the union of one man and one woman, and would require all states to recognize any marriage that was legal where it was performed, regardless of the state where it took place are performed. The new Respect for Marriage Act would also protect interracial marriages by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, nationality or national origin.” Congress is moving to protect same-sex marriage as support from the general public — and from Republicans in particular — has surged in recent years since the 2015 Supreme Court decision Obergefell v. Hodges legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. A recent poll showed that more than two-thirds of the public support same-sex unions. However, many Republicans in Congress were reluctant to support the legislation. Democrats delayed consideration until after the midterm elections, hoping that would ease political pressure on some Republican senators who may be wavering. Jim Obergefell, left, speaks during a news conference on June 7, 2022. The U.S. Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision legalized same-sex marriage nationwide, but after the decision that overturned Roe v. Wade, the Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that Obergefell could be overturned. very. (Rick Bowmer/The Associated Press) A proposed amendment to the bill, negotiated by supporters to get more Republicans on board, would clarify that it does not affect the rights of individuals or businesses already enshrined in the law. Another tweak would make it clear that a marriage is between two people, an attempt to head off some far-right criticism that the legislation could sanction polygamy. Three Republican senators — Susan Collins of Maine, Tom Tillis of North Carolina and Rob Portman of Ohio — said early they would support the legislation and lobbied their party colleagues to support it. “Current federal law does not reflect the will or beliefs of the American people on this matter,” Portman said before the vote. “It’s time for the Senate to sort this out.” In the end, nine of their Republican colleagues voted with them, bringing the total to twelve and providing enough votes needed to overcome a 50-50 Senate filibuster. The other Republicans who voted for the legislation were Sens. Richard Burr of North Carolina, Todd Young of Indiana, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Mitt Romney of Utah, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Roy Blunt of Missouri, Cynthia Lummis from Wyoming and Lisa. Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska. The growing Republican support for the issue is a stark contrast from even a decade ago, when many Republicans vocally opposed same-sex marriage. The legislation passed the House on a vote in July with the support of 47 Republicans — a larger-than-expected number that gave the measure a boost in the Senate. On Tuesday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints became the latest conservative group to support the legislation. In a statement, the Utah-based faith said church doctrine would continue to view same-sex relationships as contrary to God’s commandments, but would support the rights of same-sex couples as long as they do not violate the right of religious groups to believe as they choose. Wisconsin Sen. Tammy Baldwin, a Democrat who is the first openly gay senator and has worked on gay rights issues for nearly four decades, said the new openness of many Republicans on the issue reminded her of “the arc of the LBGTQ movement starting with , in the early days when people weren’t out and people knew gay people with myths and stereotypes.” Baldwin said as more individuals and families become visible, hearts and minds have been changed. “And slowly laws followed,” he said. “It’s history.”
