(WASHINGTON, D.C.) – Eagle Forum denounces the actions taken yesterday by the United States Senate to advance the mislabeled bill, “Respect for Marriage Act,” which threatens the religious liberty rights of those who uphold the belief in traditional marriage. The Senate voted 62-37 to invoke cloture and advance the bill toward final passage, moving it closer to being signed into law by President Biden.
“The push to codify the federalization of same-sex marriage is a calculated attempt by liberal activists to undermine the religious liberty of millions of Americans,” said Kristen A. Ullman, President of Eagle Forum. “The Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges that forces states to recognize same-sex marriages is not in jeopardy. As much as we disagree with that holding, at least the Justices, in that case, recognized the liberty interests of those who believe in the historical definition of marriage as the union of one man and one woman.”
“The current Senate bill contains a bare minimum level of protection for a limited group of religious organizations and institutions but leaves the vast majority of those with faith-based objections to participating in same-sex ceremonies at risk. By not including explicit protections for individuals, and in fact, allowing for civil enforcement by the Attorney General as well as private rights of action by aggrieved individuals, the practical effect will be to codify the right of activists to sue the bakers, photographers, and others who don’t wish to use their artistic talents to provide services for same-sex weddings.
“As the Senate wastes time on an issue already settled by the Court, it blatantly ignores the urgent issues threatening our country. Eagle Forum supports strong marriages, the rights of parents to direct the education and upbringing of their children, and the Constitutional rights of freedom of religious belief and practice. We will never back down from our commitment to these issues,” Ullman concluded.
Eagle Forum recently defeated the Department of Justice’s (DOJ) attempt to pressure it from taking on the issue of protecting children who suffer from gender dysphoria. DOJ had issued an 11-point subpoena seeking 5 years’ worth of Eagle Forum of Alabama’s (EFA) records. EFA openly advocated for passage of Alabama’s Vulnerable Child Compassion and Protection Law (VCAP) which prohibits the use of puberty blockers and cross-sex hormones on children with gender dysphoria. DOJ’s subpoena was quashed in Court on October 24, 2022, due to it being “overly broad and unduly burdensome,” per the ruling.
VCAP became effective on May 8, 2022, following consideration in three successive legislative sessions including seven public hearings and passionate legislative campaigns conducted by proponent and opponent advocacy groups and individuals. Final passage was by large majorities in both Alabama chambers.
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Eagle Forum was founded by Phyllis Schlafly, a dynamic and charismatic leader who inspired countless women and men to participate in the process of self-government and public policy-making so that America will continue to be a land of individual liberty, with respect for the nuclear family, public and private virtue, and private enterprise. For nearly fifty years, Eagle Forum’s network of state organizations has led the charge to mobilize the grassroots to defend the founding principles of the United States.