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SALT LAKE CITY — Utah Sen. Mitt Romney was one of 12 Republicans who voted Wednesday to advance a bill that would protect same-sex and interracial marriages.
The Respect for Marriage Act — which would repeal a Clinton-era law and require that states recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed — passed the Senate 62-37 on Wednesday, and House Democrats are expected to pick up the bill before a newly-elected Republican majority takes over in January.
Romney voted in favor of the bill, after an amendment was added to clarify that it would not affect the rights of private individuals or businesses that are already enshrined in law, which the senator said would preserve religious liberties while protecting same-sex and interracial marriages.
"This legislation provides important protections for religious liberty — measures which are particularly important to protect the religious freedoms of our faith-based institutions," Romney said in a statement. "While I believe in traditional marriage, Obergefell is and has been the law of the land upon which LGBTQ individuals have relied. This legislation provides certainty to many LGBTQ Americans, and it signals that Congress — and I — esteem and love all of our fellow Americans equally."
Romney referenced Obergefell v. Hodges, a 2015 Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriage nationwide. LGBTQ activists have expressed fears that the Supreme Court may seek to overturn same-sex marriage rights after Justice Clarence Thomas wrote a concurring opinion with the Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, suggesting that rights to same-sex marriage and contraception may come under threat.
The Respect for Marriage Act would not codify the rights provided under Obergefell; rather, it would force states to recognize same-sex marriages that were performed in places where it is legal. It would also protect interracial marriages by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of "sex, race, ethnicity or national origin."
Salt Lake City Mayor Erin Mendenhall took to Twitter to celebrate the bill on Wednesday.
"Your family and the people you love deserve the same protections and the same respect given to others in this country," Mendenhall said. "We see you, we support you, and we love you!"
Your family and the people you love deserve the same protections and the same respect given to others in this country. We see you, we support you, and we love you! ❤️🧡💛💚💙💜 #RespectForMarriageActhttps://t.co/7y64zLPbaN
— Mayor Erin Mendenhall (@slcmayor) November 16, 2022
Sen. Mike Lee voted against the bill, saying the religious liberty protections were too weak, and expressing disappointment that the Senate didn't advance an amendment he proposed that "would have shored up these vulnerabilities."
"I voted against the motion to proceed to the Respect for Marriage Act because the religious liberty protections were severely anemic and largely illusory," Lee said in a statement.
Lee also said the religious liberty protections "are woefully insufficient" and that "religious Americans will be subject to potentially ruinous litigation, while the tax-exempt status of certain charitable organizations, educational institutions, and nonprofits will be threatened."
In addition to the proposed amendment to clarify that it does not affect the existing rights of private individuals or businesses, another tweak would make clear that a marriage is between two people, an effort to ward off some far-right criticism that the legislation could endorse polygamy.
On Tuesday, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints was among religious organizations that expressed support for the compromise version of the bill.
"The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints related to marriage between a man and a woman is well known and will remain unchanged. We are grateful for the continuing efforts of those who work to ensure the Respect for Marriage Act includes appropriate religious freedom protections while respecting the law and preserving the rights of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters," church leaders said in a statement.
