Respect for Marriage Act Fueled by 'Fit of Hysteria': Matt Gaetz
Matt Gaetz of Florida said that the Respect for Marriage Act was inspired by "a fit of hysteria" while commenting on his vote against the bill to codify same-sex marriage.The Respect for Marriage Act passed by a vote of 267-157 in the House on Tuesday.
The bill prevailed following concerns that federal protections for same-sex marriage could soon be reversed after the Supreme Court's conservative majority eliminated federal abortion rights by striking down Roe v.
Wade last month.The concurring opinion by Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to overturn Roe suggested that the court should "correct the error" of same-sex marriage by reversing the decision that made it legal, Obergefell v.
Hodges. Thomas also suggested reversing decisions that protect the right to contraceptives and to gay sexual acts between consenting adults.Gaetz, one of the 157 Republicans who voted against the Respect for Marriage Act, argued that gay marriage was "not in jeopardy" while reflecting on his vote on Twitter.
