Attacking Marriage

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TRANSCRIPT

A deceptive bill could endanger marriage and religious freedom in America, and it's getting closer to sham-Catholic Biden's desk.

Church Militant's Aidan O'Connor takes a closer look at the so-called Respect for Marriage Act.

H.R. 8404 may soon be signed into law — spelling bad news for religious Americans with traditional values.

Church Militant spoke with Greg Baylor, senior counsel at Alliance Defending Freedom, about the bill.

Greg Baylor, senior counsel, Alliance Defending Freedom: "It's a badly misnamed piece of legislation that actually disrespects marriage. One of the things it does is repeal the Respect for Marriage Act, which allowed states not to recognize same sex-marriages from other states. It also defined marriage as the union between one man and one woman."

Since pro-gay rulings from the Supreme Court, like Obergefell, have essentially overruled defenses of true marriage, the so-called Respect for Marriage Act appears unnecessary.

But the pernicious bill has an ulterior purpose.

Baylor: "The essence of the bill is to require states and those "acting under color of state law" to recognize same-sex marriages. That's pretty problematic."

Meanwhile, when the Internal Revenue Service reviews the tax-exempt status of a nonprofit institution, the government asks if the organization acts in accord with "national public policy."

Baylor: Our grave concern is that this bill gives the IRS ammunition to say, look, the people have spoken; Congress has spoken. Anybody who is not on board with same-sex marriage, they're behaving in a manner inconsistent with public policy, and, therefore, we can take away their tax-exempt status. So this is one of our major concerns.

While small for-profit businesses may not be affected, religious institutions like adoption centers that are required to work with local government may be in trouble.

Baylor: "It's going to create opportunities for activists to sue organizations that are doing great work in their communities, faith-based adoption foster placement agencies, who live out their views about marriage being the union of one man and one woman."

If passed, H.R. 8404 would mark a troubling milestone in America's war on the most essential and sacred institution.

Hours ago, the U.S. Senate shot down Republican Mike Lee's amendment to the bill, which aimed to protect religious institutions that hold a belief in true marriage. The vote was 48 in favor and 49 against.

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