Statement of the Center for Public Justice on the Senate Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act
For Immediate Release
November 29, 2022
Press Contact: Debora Haede debora.haede@cpjustice.org (202) 695-2667
Statement of the Center for Public Justice on the Senate Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act
The Respect for Marriage Act Includes Vital Religious Freedom Protections
(November 29, 2022) — The Center for Public Justice and its Institutional Religious Freedom Alliance applauds the Senate for adding vital religious freedom protections before passing the Respect for Marriage Act.
We salute the Senate for providing multiple protections for organizations that are committed to one man-one woman marriage, including security for their tax-exempt status and their eligibility for government funding, accreditation, and licensure.
In the amended bill, the Senate expresses its agreement with the U.S. Supreme Court in its same-sex marriage decision: Reasonable and sincere people can hold, due to their religious or philosophical convictions, different perspectives on marriage. As read into the congressional record, leading constitutional scholars have affirmed the strength of the religious freedom protections. Among other strong religious freedom protections, the amended Respect for Marriage Act ensures that houses of worship and other religious organizations will not be forced to facilitate and celebrate unions that are not in accordance with their beliefs.
As a Christian public policy organization, we are committed to policies that respect the dignity of all people, including LGBTQ people. In our society with its many diverse communities of belief, justice requires creative pluralist policies. The religious freedom protections designed into the amended Respect for Marriage Act embody this pluralist approach.
We urge Congress to build on this precedent by enacting the Fairness for All Act, which constructively addresses a variety of additional controversies that exist in American society concerning religious freedom and LGBTQ civil rights. That bill, with Rep. Chris Stewart (R-UT) as chief sponsor and a broad coalition of LGBTQ and religious leaders as supporters, will protect the rights and beliefs of people and organizations with differing convictions and practices.
The Fairness for All bill acknowledges the pluralistic nature of our society by protecting religious rights and other constitutional freedoms while also ensuring civil rights for LGBTQ people. While we believe in the historic biblical understandings of marriage and human sexuality, we have worked for many years with LGBTQ advocates, religious leaders, and congressional members and staff to help develop public policy that respects the rights and beliefs of all. Fairness for All is the solution we need.
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The Center for Public Justice is an independent, nonpartisan organization devoted to policy research and civic education. Our mission is to equip citizens, develop leaders, and shape policy in pursuit of our purpose to serve God, advance justice, and transform public life