Democrats in the U.S. Senate are expected to put on the floor this week legislation to protect the marriages of same-sex couples, in response to far right U.S.
Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas‘ call for cases to overturn the 2015 landmark Obergefell decision that found marriage equality is a constitutional right. “The latest version of the bill clarifies religious liberties and includes language that reaffirms the bill does not validate polygamy, which some Republican members had expressed concerns about,” Semafor reports.
Several Republicans have expressed contempt for the legislation. Sen. Marco Rubio called it a “stupid waste of time.” READ MORE: ‘Undermined Masculinity and Femininity’: Boebert Serves Up False Claims Against Democrats and Same-Sex Marriage Bill A similar House version of the Respect for Marriage Act passed with several dozen Republicans voting to support the legislation, and 157 Republicans voting against it.
These bills do not protect the right of same-sex couples to marry, they only require states that ban same-sex marriage to recognize same-sex couples’ legal marriages from other states or jurisdictions.