GOP Freedom to Marry Quotes
“These cases have gone to the Supreme Court. They’ve been settled. And I’m fine with that.”
– President Donald Trump
Source: CBS 60 Minutes
“Remember, the Constitution is not a la carte. True conservatives don’t pick and choose which amendments they want to uphold. They are either all in or not. 14th amendment is clear. If you support the second amendment and reciprocity of your 2nd amendment rights, you would need to be consistent in supporting your 14th amendment rights. Also, this DOESN’T change the biblical definition of marriage – it changes the legal one for tax, insurance, estate and custodial purposes … The states cannot under the 14th amendment apply the law differently to one group of citizens. It is a liberal, anti-federalist position to say that it’s okay to discriminate and promote one group of people over another.”
– Rep. Kat Cammack (R-FL-3)
Source: National Review
“I am thrilled that the Respect for Marriage Act has been signed into law after passing both the Senate and the House with robust bipartisan support. This commonsense legislation provides certainty to millions of loving couples in same-sex and interracial marriages, who will continue to enjoy the freedoms, rights, and responsibilities afforded to all other marriages. At the same time, our legislation fully respects and protects religious liberties and diverse beliefs about marriage. This is truly an important and historic step forward for religious freedom as well as for ensuring dignity and respect for all Americans.”
– Sen. Susan Collins (R-ME)
Source: Collins Newsroom
“Today I voted for the Respect for Marriage Act with strengthened religious freedom protections. The Supreme Court has already required all states to recognize same-sex marriages. It is my personal religious belief that marriage is between a man and a woman, but our nation must see that Congress is capable of coming together to overcome our differences in a way that respects our sincerely held beliefs. As The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints states, we must uphold religious freedom protections while respecting the right to same-sex marriage.”
– Rep. Blake Moore (R-UT-1)
Source: Fox News
“The U.S. Constitution’s Full Faith and Credit Clause ensures that lawful proceedings conducted in one state are recognized by the other states. HR 8404 makes it clear that a marriage performed in one state will be recognized in another, regardless of the sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of the couple. The bill provides assurance to Americans that their marital status won’t change based on their ZIP code. This is commonsense and in line with multiple Supreme Court decisions.”
– Gov. Kelly Armstrong (ND)
Source: Inforum
“LGBTQ Americans are part of the fabric of our society and should be free to exercise the rights guaranteed to every American by the Constitution to participate fully in our society and pursue every opportunity.”
– Rep. Brian Fitzpatrick (R-PA-1)
Source: Representative Website
“I proudly voted in July to codify these all-important protections. And today I was proud to once again vote in favor of protecting our LGBTQ and religious friends and neighbors. As a man of faith and a conservative, ensuring the religious liberties of people in Utah is absolutely essential. This bill not only guarantees that protection, but simultaneously expands the rights of those in the LGBTQ community.”
– Fmr. Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT-2)
Source: Fox News
“For some time now, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints has supported a “fairness for all” approach that seeks to both preserve the rights of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters while including religious freedom protections. For us, the foundation of fairness for all comes from the two great commandments taught by Jesus Christ: to love God and to love our neighbor.
We recognize that people in the LGBTQ community and people and institutions in the faith community — including many who are in both — have significant interests at stake in the treatment of same-sex marriage. The Respect for Marriage Act represents a balanced approach to addressing these interests.”
– Sheldon Fisher
Communication Director of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints in Alaska and Former Commissioner of Administration and Commissioner of Revenue for Gov. Bill Walker
“The doctrine of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints related to marriage between a man and a woman is well known and will remain unchanged.
We are grateful for the continuing efforts of those who work to ensure the Respect for Marriage Act includes appropriate religious freedom protections while respecting the law and preserving the rights of our LGBTQ brothers and sisters.
We believe this approach is the way forward. As we work together to preserve the principles and practices of religious freedom together with the rights of LGBTQ individuals, much can be accomplished to heal relationships and foster greater understanding.”
– The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
Source: Official Statement
“This bill is now designed to accomplish two things. 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.”
– Fmr. Sen. Roy Blunt (R-MO)
Source: KCTV
“As a person of faith, I believe in the traditional definition of marriage. However, I do not believe the government should dictate who can marry each other based on gender, race, or ethnicity. Churches, synagogues, mosques, and other religious establishments have the right to decide within their walls and congregations who they will perform marriages for, but the federal government does not. This has been the law for seven years and many thousands have been married with this as law of the land. Americans should have the right to their private lives. The Supreme Court showed that all viewpoints can be respected.”
– Rep. Don Bacon (R-NE-2)
Source: Bacon Newsroom
“In pairing religious freedom and LGBT civil rights, the Fairness for All Act underscores that all persons, including LGBT people, are created in the image of God, and therefore possess full dignity, value, and worth. This approach represents civic pluralism at its best, in a society where people with deep differences can live alongside each other with respect and understanding.”
– The Council for Christian Colleges & Universities
“Settled law is at the heart of the doctrine of precedent. If a decision is settled, judges need a compelling reason to overturn it.”
– Clark Forsythe, Senior Director, Americans United for Life
Source: Wall Street Journal
“With the respect to the question of relationships, my general view is freedom means freedom for everyone. … People ought to be free to enter into any kind of relationship they want to.”
– Dick Cheney, former Vice President
Source: NBC News
“For Republicans to continue building on their recent inroads with new and younger voters, support for the freedom to marry is a must. The energy and passion on this issue is with supporters of same-sex marriage, and messages rooted in conservative principles about personal liberty and freedom resonate with all voters, especially younger audiences.”
– Kristen Soltis Anderson, Founder of Echelon Insights
“Our data is clear: a strong majority of voters, including Republicans, support the freedom to marry and view the issue as settled law. In just a few years, same-sex marriage has transitioned from a divisive political issue to an accepted social norm. The data is clear: engaging in efforts to roll back recent gains is not a winning political issue. In fact, there is a clear pathway forward for Republicans to continue growing their coalition, finding common ground on religious liberty, and ensuring the law judges all citizens based solely on their individual merit, nothing more, nothing less.”
– Alex Lundry, Co-founder of Redbud Consulting
“Of all the messages that we tested, it should come as no surprise that President Trump’s support for marriage equality was a runaway winner. Republicans would be wise to take their cue from the President, who has expressed his support for the Supreme Court’s decision.”
– Adam Geller, CEO of National Research Inc.
“Marriage equality isn’t in danger. Were that to change, Americans on the left, center and right would come to its defense. And on an issue as important to human happiness as the right to share your life with a partner in marriage, we should all try to keep the fear and cynicism that poison our politics to a minimum.”
– David J. Urban, Republican strategist, CNN Senior Political Commentator, and former Senior Advisor to President Trump’s 2016 campaign
Source: USA Today
“It’s above my pay grade to be judging other people like that and I know the federal government wants nothing to do with it anymore. The Supreme Court didn’t even want to hear the case.”
– Rep. Dick Anderson, R-Willow City
Source: MinotDaily News
“If government is going to be in the marriage business, it cannot discriminate based upon any of the protected classes, including sexual orientation. I don’t think it’s a viable effort, legally, politically or otherwise, to try to overturn that decision.“
– Congressman Nick LaLota, R-NY
Source: NOTUS
“If the court did decide to overturn [Obergefell], I would seek to address it legislatively,”
– Congressman Mike Lawler, R-NY
Source: NOTUS