Staff Reports
The Church of Jesus Christ of the Latter-day Saints supports same-sex marriage. In a statement released on Tuesday, the church noted that its doctrine on marriage between a woman and a man is still in place, but it would still "respect and preserve" the rights of the LGBTQ community as long as the church receives religious freedom.
The statement noted that the church would continue to "respect and preserve" the rights of the LGBTQ community as long as it receives religious freedom. It also stated that working together with the LGBTQ community would help improve relationships.
The statement was released as the Senate prepares to vote on the Respect for Marriage bill, which would codify same-sex marriage. It also has an amendment for religious freedom. On Monday, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said that he would bring the bill to a test vote. He noted that it would help secure important protections for the LGBTQ community.
The religious freedom amendment was crafted by a group of senators, which included Thom Tillis of North Carolina, Rob Portman of Ohio, and Susan Collins of Maine. They noted that they were confident that the bill would be able to pass with the necessary Republican votes.
Mitt Romney, who is a member of the Senate Republican Conference, said that he would support the religious freedom amendment if it included provisions that protect religious institutions.
The Senate's vote on the Respect for Marriage bill comes after the Supreme Court ruled in June that the Roe v. Wade decision was unconstitutional. In a concurring opinion, Justice Thomas noted that the court should have recognized the errors made by previous rulings regarding same-sex marriage.
The House of Representatives passed the Respect for Marriage Act on July 19. With a vote of over two hundred and fifty, 47 Republicans joined all of the Democrats in supporting the bill. If the Senate passes the bill, it will go to President Joe Biden's desk for his signature.
The preceding is a summary of an article that originally appeared on Washington Examiner.
