Todd Young
WASHINGTON — Indiana’s two senators have different views on whether legislation that would protect same-sex and interracial marriages should move forward.
The legislation, called the Respect for Marriage Act, crossed a major Senate hurdle Wednesday, putting Congress on track to take the historic step of ensuring that such unions are enshrined in federal law, The Associated Press reported.
Sen. Todd Young, R-Indiana, was one of 12 Republicans who sided with all of the Democrats to move forward with the bill, meaning a final vote could come as soon as this week, or later this month. Sen. Mike Braun, R-Indiana, voted against moving forward with the legislation.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the bill ensuring the unions are legally recognized under the law is a chance for the Senate to “live up to its highest ideals” and protect marriage equality for all people.
“It will make our country a better, fairer place to live,” Schumer said, noting that his own daughter and her wife are expecting a baby next year.
Senate Democrats are quickly moving to pass the bill while the party still controls the House. Republicans are on the verge of winning the House majority and would be unlikely to take up the issue next year.
The bill has gained steady momentum since the Supreme Court’s June decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and the federal right to an abortion. An opinion at that time from Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that an earlier high court decision protecting same-sex marriage could also come under threat.
The legislation would repeal the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act and require states to recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed. The new Respect for Marriage Act would also protect interracial marriages by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.”
Congress has been moving to protect same-sex marriage as support from the general public — and from Republicans in particular — has sharply grown in recent years, as the Supreme Court’s 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision legalized gay marriage nationwide. Recent polling has found more than two-thirds of the public supports same-sex unions.
Still, many Republicans in Congress have been reluctant to support the legislation. Democrats delayed consideration until after the midterm elections, hoping that would relieve political pressure on some GOP senators who might be wavering.
Rep. Greg Pence, R-Indiana, voted against a version of the bill in July, though the legislation ultimately cleared the House in a 267-157 vote, with 47 House Republicans voting in favor of it.
Indiana’s House delegation largely voted along party lines on the bill, with all Republicans except one opposing the measure and the state’s two House Democrats supporting it. Rep. Trey Hollingsworth, R-Indiana, didn’t vote.
