Roy Blunt votes 'yes' on same-sex marriage protections, Josh Hawley votes 'no'

Missouri's senators split their votes on a proposal to protect same-sex marriages in federal law Wednesday.

U.S. Sen. Roy Blunt, who is retiring and will leave the Senate in January and be succeeded by U.S. Sen.-elect Eric Schmitt, was one of 12 Republicans who joined the Democratic caucus in voting in favor.

"This bill is now designed to accomplish two things," Blunt said in a statement Wednesday before the Senate vote. "People who are legally married in one state have the same protections and responsibilities in any other state that are offered to and required of marriages. And, this legislation enhances the religious freedom for all Americans by protecting religious organizations from retaliation by federal agencies due to their views on marriage.

"I believe it’s better for Congress to clarify these issues than for federal judges to make these decisions."

U.S. Sen. Josh Hawley, soon to be the Show-Me State's senior senator, voted against the legislation. A spokesperson referred the News-Leader to Hawley's comments made to the Kansas City Star in which he said he did not believe Obergefell v. Hodges, the 2015 Supreme Court decision that legalized same-sex marriage, was correctly decided.

"I disagree with that ruling, but that ruling is law and it's not going to get overturned," Hawley told the Star. "I don't think. I mean, I can't imagine. There's no appetite for that. I'm not advocating that."

The Wednesday vote is a key procedural hurdle for the bill, which is expected to see final passage later this week. It passed the House in July: Missouri's two Democratic representatives voted 'yes,' and four of its six Republican members voted 'no.' U.S. Rep. Ann Wagner, who represents suburban St. Louis, voted in favor; U.S. Rep. Vicky Hartzler, who has been a vocal opponent of same-sex marriage and LGBTQ+ rights, did not vote.

From USA TODAY:Marriage equality finds bipartisan alliance as Senate nears passage of same sex unions

Democrats began to move to enshrine protections for same-sex marriage in federal law earlier this year, after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and allowed states to ban abortion. Members of the party and advocates for LGBTQ+ equality have pointed to writings from Justice Clarence Thomas that indicated overturning Obergefell could be a possibility in the future.

The Respect for Marriage Act ensures a marriage is valid in any state so long as the marriage was valid in the state where it was performed. It also repeals the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, a bill passed during former President Bill Clinton's administration that defined marriage as between one man and one woman. Although it was found unlawful by the Supreme Court in Obergefell, it has remained in federal statute.

"I want to be clear that passing this bill is not at all a theoretical exercise," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on the floor Monday. "But it's as real as it gets."

More:Billy Long votes against same-sex marriage protections; Vicky Hartzler does not vote

Existing Missouri statute says "it is the public policy of this state to recognize marriage only between a man and a woman," language that was part of 1996 legislation and has been deemed unconstitutional under several court rulings, including Obergefell in 2015. Missouri lawmakers have not legalized same-sex marriage under state law.

The coming passage of federal protections marks Democrats' first priority during what's commonly referred to as the "lame duck" congressional session, in which members return after an election prior to new members being sworn in early next year. Democrats held onto control of the Senate this election cycle, with 50 seats and the tie-breaking vote in the vice president; one additional seat's control will be determined next month in a runoff election in Georgia.

Galen Bacharier covers Missouri politics & government for the News-Leader. Contact him at gbacharier@news-leader.com, (573) 219-7440 or on Twitter @galenbacharier.

This article originally appeared on Springfield News-Leader: Blunt votes 'yes,' Hawley 'no' on same-sex marriage protections