Even after 47 Republican members of the House of Representatives voted to codify same-sex marriage into law on Tuesday, many Republican Senators would rather talk about anything else.
Democratic Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer announced that he had tasked Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin to talk to Republican Senators about the legislation.
Ms Baldwin, the first United States Senator to be openly part of the LGBTQ+ community, told reporters on Wednesday that she’s telling Republicans that the legislation has a new urgency after the Supreme Court overruled Roe v Wade, the 1973 court decision that enshrined the right to seek an abortion, last month. She added that there was no constitutional right to privacy.
“It’d be one question if it weren't the law and asking people to make it a lot, but now, it's overwhelming American support for the ability of somebody to marry the person they love”, she told reporters.
But many Republicans dodged the question or said they had not read the text.
“I haven’t read it yet”, Senator Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming toldThe Independent. When asked if she supported same-sex marriage in general, she again didn’t answer.
“Honestly, I just haven’t read the bill”, she said. “I’ve got to read the bill.”
Senator Todd Young of Indiana told reporters he is primarily focused on passing the United States Innovation and Competition Act, legislation that would help the United States manufacture semiconductors to compete with China. and didn’t comment when asked about same-sex marriage.
“We can discuss the other consequential and highly important matters after I land this plane, but that's my focus well outside of legislation”, the Indiana Republican freshman said.
Senator Mitt Romney of Utah questioned the need to pass the legislation.
“And literally, the legislation of the house is unnecessary given the fact that the law is the same and we'll take a look at it as, as that comes our way”, he told reporters. Reporters asked what Mr Romney thought about every member of his state’s delegation--which is entirely Republican--voting for the legislation on Tuesday.
Mr Romney said that they reviewed it and determined it was “the right thing to do.”
Other Republicans like Senator Chuck Grassley, the ranking member of the Senate Judiciary Committee, said that it was already settled because of the fact that the Supreme Court decided it in 2015 when it ruled in Obergefell v Hodges.
“It’s the law of the land”, Mr Grassley told reporters.
Senator Ron Johnson of Wisconsin, told The Independent he has not been able to look at what passed.
“I’ve always thought that was pretty much a settled issue”, he said.
Mr Johnson is one of the few Republican Senators from a state that President Joe Biden won in 2020 and is up for reelection this year.
Other Republicans flat-out said they opposed it.
“I don’t support it”, Senator John Cornyn of Texas told reporters.
Still, some Republicans said it was important to pass the legislation. Senator Rob Portman of Ohio, who is retiring and has a gay son, is one of the main Republican cosponsors of the legislation. Mr Portman said that he didn’t know whether he could get nine other Republicans to sign onto the legislation.
“We haven't done a whip count or anything. But I think it's the right policy and I think it's an important message to send”, he said to reporters.
Senator Susan Collins is the other Republican co-sponsor of the legislation. But Senator Lisa Murkowski, who supports same-sex marriage, said she was still reviewing the bill.
“They have introduced legislation yesterday. I'm looking at that legislation, seeing it, how it has, how it might compare to the house bill”, she told The Independent.
Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina, who as the speaker of the North Carolina House of Representatives supported a successful amendment to the state’s constitution banning same-sex marriage in 2012, said he supported the legislation.
“Back then we were having the discussion of the institution of marriage between a man and a woman and civil unions”, he told The Independent. “What we're talking about here is basically codifying what I think is settled law.”
Fellow North Carolina Republican Richard Burr, who is retiring at the end of this year, was more taciturn.
“I haven't read what the House did once I read it. I'd be happy to answer any questions on it”, he told The Independent.
When The Independent asked Democratic Senator Mark Warner of Virginia why so many Republicans were unwilling to talk about same-sex marriage, he shrugged.
“I support it”, he said.
