United States Senator Joni Ernst joined 11 other Republicans in voting in support of cloture on the (Dis)Respect for Marriage Act. Ernst cast the 10th vote in support of cloture as a Republican, which provided the Democrats with the final GOP vote they needed.
Republican Senators Lisa Murkowski and Todd Young voted in favor of cloture after Ernst.
Cloture requires 60 votes and allows the bill to be taken up for a simple majority vote in the United States Senate to pass. So while Ernst may vote against the bill on final passage, her vote for cloture allows the bill to advance.
Ernst’s vote in favor of the bill follows yes votes from Congresswomen Ashley Hinson and Mariannette Miller-Meeks in the House. Zach Nunn said he would have voted in favor of the bill as well.
Only Rep. Randy Feenstra and Sen. Chuck Grassley voted against it, but Grassley’s statement on his vote said he favored homosexual marriage and the federal recognition of it.
Feenstra never released a statement.
The bill will essentially codify same-sex marriage and repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. It will force every state to recognize whatever marriage is in another state and it will put in jeopardy the religious liberty for ministries and other organizations.
