House Democrats have blocked a Republican amendment that would have strengthened religious liberty protections in the Respect for Marriage Act, a bipartisan bill that would require the federal government to recognize all marriages, including same-sex marriages, that are legal in the state where they took place.
The House Rules Committee held a hearing Monday afternoon on an amendment offered by Rep. Chip Roy, R-Texas, that would have prohibited the federal government from retaliating against any individual or organization that opposes same-sex marriage on religious or moral grounds. Committee Chairman Rep. James McGovern, D-Mass., refused to allow Roy’s amendment to advance to the House floor, explaining that Democrats want to pass the Respect for Marriage Act during the lame-duck session of Congress before Republicans take over the House next year. Read more…