WASHINGTON — New protections for spiritual organizations weren’t sufficient for Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) to help the Respect for Marriage Act on Thursday.
Thompson’s “no” vote on an earlier model of the invoice brought about an uproar in July after it got here out that he attended his son’s marriage ceremony to a different man inside days of the vote.
Thompson informed HuffPost in September that he would rethink his place as Senate Republicans made modifications to the invoice, which might require the Home to carry one other vote.
However the modifications didn’t win him over.
“People have the liberty and the precise to decide on who to develop previous with in life,” Thompson mentioned in a ready assertion. “Nevertheless, the invoice lacks the suitable constitutional protections for spiritual liberty enshrined within the First Modification.”
The First Modification says partially that “Congress shall make no legislation respecting an institution of faith, or prohibiting the free train thereof.” Some Republicans declare that having to acknowledge a same-sex marriage burdens the free train of Christianity.
Home Democrats moved the invoice this fall after the Supreme Court docket eradicated the federal proper to an abortion in its resolution overturning Roe v. Wade. Like abortion, federal recognition of same-sex marriage depends on Supreme Court docket precedent relatively than legislation, so Democrats needed to verify there was a statute in place in case the excessive court docket felt like tossing out one other precedent.
The unique Respect for Marriage Act mentioned the federal authorities would acknowledge any marriage acknowledged by a state the place homosexual marriage is authorized. After it handed the Home, Senate Republicans pushed for spiritual liberty protections, equivalent to stating that church buildings or nonprofits wouldn't lose tax-exempt standing primarily based on their views of marriage. At Republicans’ urging, the modification model of the invoice additionally says that the federal authorities received’t acknowledge polygamous marriages.
Twelve Senate Republicans wound up supporting the invoice in a vote final week. A number of Home Republicans modified their votes, some in favor and a few towards.
Thompson has by no means mentioned he opposes homosexual marriage. In September, he mentioned he didn’t consider the Supreme Court docket would threaten homosexual marriage.
Thompson informed HuffPost on Thursday that he gave his son a heads-up concerning the vote as a result of he knew reporters would hound him. He mentioned he additionally “shared with him the rationality” for his opposition however declined to say if his son agreed together with his place.
“I really like my son, my son loves me, and he is aware of that I’m a principled man,” Thompson mentioned.
Some spiritual teams ― together with the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints ― have endorsed the invoice. However the right-wing Heritage Basis has claimed it “places an enormous goal on the backs of individuals of religion who rightly consider that marriage is between one man and one girl” and that individuals who oppose homosexual marriage will get sued.
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), who led negotiations with Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) to amend the Home invoice, arrived on the Home aspect Thursday for an enrollment ceremony following the vote. She appeared shocked that Thompson hadn’t modified his thoughts.
“He wasn’t satisfied by the modifications we made?” she mentioned.
However Baldwin, the primary brazenly homosexual senator, didn’t have something destructive to say about Republicans who maintained their opposition to the invoice.
“I believe that the vital factor is that we listened, we deal with issues, we added some requested readability, and the invoice has now handed each chambers,” she informed HuffPost.
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