Senators Reach Deal On Changes To Marriage Equality Bill
In the US, a bipartisan group of senators announced that had reached an agreement on revised legislation that would enshrine marriage equality into federal law, providing protections for religious liberties, assuaging concerns from some Republican members who feared that the measure could infringe on religious freedom while paving the way for the Senate to take up the bill this week.
A joint statement from the five senators involved in the negotiations announced that they have crafted “commonsense language to confirm that this legislation fully respects and protects Americans' religious liberties and diverse beliefs, while leaving intact the core mission of the legislation to protect marriage equality.”
According to CBS News, the Senate negotiators are Democrats Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin and Kyrsten Sinema of Arizona, and Republicans Susan Collins of Maine, Rob Portman of Ohio, and Thom Tillis of North Carolina. They expressed confidence that the amendment to the legislation, the Respect for Marriage Act, “has helped earn the broad, bipartisan support needed to pass our commonsense legislation into law.”
Shortly after the senators announced their agreement, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer filed a motion to set up a procedural vote to advance the bill, expected for Wednesday. “No American should ever, ever be discriminated against because of who they love, and passing this bill would secure much-needed safeguards into federal law,” Schumer said in remarks on the Senate floor.
The New York Democrat called the bill “important and much needed,” and said its passage is “not a theoretical exercise, but it's as real as it gets.”
“I hope for the sake of 10s of millions of Americans, that at least 10 Republicans will vote with us to protect marriage equality into law soon,” he said. “The rights and dignity of millions of Americans depend on it.”
The amendment unveiled Monday ensures nonprofit religious organizations will not be required to provide services, facilities, or goods for the celebration of a same-sex marriage, and protects religious liberty and conscience protections available under the Constitution and federal law, including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. It also makes clear the bill does not authorise the federal government to recognize polygamous marriage and safeguards any benefit or status – such as tax-exemptions, grants, contracts or educational funding – of an entity so long as it does not arise from a marriage.
Finally, the amendment “recognizes the importance of marriage, acknowledges that diverse beliefs and the people who hold them are due respect, and affirms that couples, including same-sex and interracial couples, deserve the dignity, stability, and ongoing protection of marriage,” according to the bipartisan group.
If the Senate passes the marriage equality bill with the amendment, the House will have to take up the legislation once again.
Read related myGwork articles here:
US Anti-LGBTQ+ Activists Say Marriage Equality Bill Will Lead To Child Marriage
US House Passes Bill Protecting Marriage Equality
Majority In US Battleground States Support Marriage Equality
Keep up to date with the latest myGnews
