Today, the U.S. Senate is reportedly expected to vote on final passage of H.R. 8404, the so-called “Respect for Marriage Act,” which would formally repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, override numerous state laws, and threaten millions of Americans who hold traditional views on marriage.

American Principles Project (APP) previously announced its opposition to the legislation.

APP President Terry Schilling released the following statement urging Senate Republicans to oppose the bill absent strong protections for religious liberty:

“We’ve seen this movie before. Democrats and their leftist allies propose a policy change which they claim is merely to protect some people’s rights but won’t affect most Americans. A few Republicans go along in good faith, taking left-wingers at their word. But as a result, society is radically upended, with many Americans blindsided by the changes.

“Today, we stand on the verge of another such instance. H.R. 8404 claims to respect the religious liberty of Americans who hold to traditional marriage, but if it were to pass as it stands, nothing in the bill would protect those Americans from facing severe penalties for their beliefs. At the very least, an amendment such as that offered by Senator Mike Lee is required to minimally safeguard the rights of Americans of faith.

“We strongly urge GOP senators to push for inclusion of the Lee Amendment in the final legislation. And if those protections are not included, for the sake of their religious constituents, Republicans must vote down the bill.”

To schedule an engagement with American Principles Project, contact Paul Dupont at (o) 202-503-2010 or pdupont@americanprinciplesproject.org.