On Wednesday, a dozen GOP Senators voted alongside Democrats to advance a bill that would codify same-sex marriage into federal law.
As reported by The Blaze, the U.S. Senate advanced the Respect for Marriage Act on Wednesday by a vote of 62–37.
The 12 Republican Senators who voted alongside their Democratic colleagues are:
Dan Sullivan (AK)
Lisa Murkowski (AK)
Joni Ernst (IA)
Todd Young (IN)
Susan Collins (ME)
Roy Blunt (MO)
Richard M. Burr (NC)
Thom Tillis (NC)
Rob Portman (OH)
Mitt Romney (UT)
Shelley Moore Capito (WV)
Cynthia Lummis (WY)
The House previously passed the bill by a vote of 267–157 in July, with 47 Republicans voting for it. If signed, the bill would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and codify same-sex and interracial marriages into federal law.
But before the bill can reach President Joe Biden's desk, the Senate must formally approve it and send it back to the House for amendment approval.
While Romney personally disagrees with same-sex marriage, he explained that he voted for the bill due to legal principles.
"While I believe in traditional marriage, Obergefell is and has been the law of the land upon which LGBTQ individuals have relied," Romney said in a statement. "This legislation provides certainty to many LGBTQ Americans, and it signals that Congress – and I – esteem and love all of our fellow Americans equally."
The Utah senator also noted that the bill offers "important protections for religious liberty – measures which are particularly important to protect the religious freedoms of our faith-based institutions."
"I appreciate the efforts of Senators Baldwin, Collins, and others to address this concern and heartily support their legislation," he added.
In her statement, Collins said she backed the bill because it prevents discrimination while strengthening protections for religious liberty.
"This bill recognizes the unique and extraordinary importance of marriage on an individual and societal level," Collins said. "It would help promote equality, prevent discrimination, and protect the rights of Americans in same-sex and interracial marriages. It would accomplish these goals while maintaining—and indeed strengthening—important religious liberty and conscience protections."
Photo courtesy: Alejandro Barba/Unsplash
Milton Quintanilla is a freelance writer and content creator. He is a contributing writer for CrosswalkHeadlines and the host of the For Your Soul Podcast, a podcast devoted to sound doctrine and biblical truth. He holds a Masters of Divinity from Alliance Theological Seminary.
