The United States Senate just passed the misnamed “Respect for Marriage Act” with the help of 12 Republican turncoats who in their desire to force gay and other unnatural forms of “marriage” on the American people ignored the wishes of their constituents. Should the bill become law (which it almost certainly will), every state in the union would have to recognize any marriage—not just gay marriage—that is valid is any other state. Thus, if liberal New York or California passes a law allowing for child brides or permitting mothers to marry sons and fathers to marry daughters, every other state likewise would have to recognize such marriage. In addition, under the law those believing that marriage is a union between one man and one woman can be sued by private individuals and federal and state governments and denied government contracts and other benefits.
United States Senator Mike Lee, who strongly opposed the bill, stated:
“Under the [bill] many religious schools, faith-based organizations, and other non-profit entities adhering to traditional views of marriage would be at risk of losing tax-exempt status and access to a wide range of federal programs. Many small businesses would also be affected. For example, wedding vendors (including kosher caterers) would be subjected to endless lawsuits and harassment based solely on their beliefs…[T]he RFMA would only exacerbate and nationalize the discriminatory policies already in place in Illinois, Massachusetts, California, and the District of Columbia, where religious adoption agencies are essentially shut down unless they recognize same-sex marriage.”
Ryan Banger, Senior Vice President of Alliance Defending Freedom, an organization dedicated to religious freedom around the world, declared:
“This dangerously cynical and completely unnecessary bill is a direct attack on the First Amendment [of the United States Constitution]. It does nothing to change the legal status of same-sex marriage anywhere. But it undermines religious freedom everywhere and exposes Americans throughout the country to predatory lawsuits by activists seeking to use the threat of litigation to silence debate and exclude people of faith from the public square.”
Likewise, Catholic Vote stated:
“Today the Senate, including 12 Republicans, voted to undermine religious freedom and expose Catholics to debilitating lawsuits brought by those seeking to silence our voices in the public square.”
Notably, all but one of the 12 Republicans who voted for the bill because they support the radical LGBT agenda are either retiring this year (3) or are not up for reelection in 2024 (8). Only liberal former presidential candidate Mitt Romney (pictured) will have to face the voters in two years (where it is expected he will lose because of his voting record). The twelve Republican Senators who voted for the bill were:
Rob Portman (retiring) of Ohio, Susan Collins of Maine, Thom Tillis and Richard Burr (retiring) of North Carolina, Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan of Alaska, Mitt Romney of Utah, Roy Blunt (retiring) of Missouri, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Joni Ernst of Iowa, Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming, and Todd Young of Indiana.
The bill now goes to the United States House of Representatives, which is expected to adopt the Senate bill as the Democrats control this branch of Congress until January and as a similar bill passed the House back in July.