Urgent Action is Needed! Please contact your Senators immediately and forward this information via email and social media!
The Senate is poised to vote THIS WEEK on a bill that would strip away our religious freedoms. The House-passed Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404/S. 4556) fully repeals the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act which protected states’ rights to maintain the definition of traditional marriage. While the wrongly decided Obergefell v. Hodges ruling forced states to uphold same-sex marriage, the holding at least recognized the rights of religious objectors. This bill – a blatant political maneuver - would create an open assault on individuals who believe in traditional marriage.
While the Senate has placed religious carveouts in the bill to “protect” certain organizations and religious institutions from being prosecuted for their belief in traditional marriage, these protections are mediocre at best. Other institutions, like adoption or foster agencies and private business owners - will not be protected under this bill and thus forced to violate their sincerely held beliefs. Their attempt to shield religious entities is a distraction to garner votes while simultaneously eroding the rights of those who reject the redefinition of marriage.
In addition, the bill includes provisions that authorize the Attorney General of the United States to bring a civil action against anyone who violates the law as well as a ‘private right of action’ which will codify the right of individuals to sue the bakers, photographers, and others who don’t wish to use their artistic talents to provide services for same-sex weddings
If the Senate passes this bill, they will have to work out the differences with House members who passed their version without any religious carveout. This means that the chances of even the slightest religious liberty protections surviving in a final bill are slim.
Let’s not forget the basic premise of this bill: the degradation of the family unit. The federal government is giving itself the authority to redefine marriage - something they are sure to revisit again in the future in ways we don’t even want to imagine.
Contact your Senators now and ask them to vote NO on the Respect for Marriage Act!
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