Same-sex couples keep close eye on 'Respect for Marriage Act'
MIAMI - As Hollywood couple Todd and Jeff Delmay prepare for Thanksgiving, they and their 12-year-old son Blake are keeping a close eye on the "Respect for Marriage Act."
It's making its way through the US Senate at a time when concern is growing that the right for same-sex couples to marry could get struck down.
"Absolutely, same-sex marriages should be respected but I think it still lacks that full weight of saying everyone has the right to marry the person they love," Todd said.
Jeff and Todd were at the forefront of fighting for same-sex marriage, filing suit in 2014 seeking the right to marry.
Now? The Respect for Marriage Act" would codify into law and recognize a valid marriage from another state but would not require a state to issue a marriage license, it would not recognize polygamous unions and supporters say it would have no negative impact on religious liberty & conscience protections.
"For anybody to say that we're not equal because we're two men married versus a man and woman is just not right, is unconditional," Jeff said.
Worry for the Delmays and couples like them grew with the possibility of the conservative US Supreme Court overturning the ruling that ushered in marriage equality across the country.
Justice Clarence Thomas made mention after Roe was overturned. "If that were overturned, it would go back to the states and as we know each state can be very different political landscape," said Todd.
A Gallup poll found 71% of Americans support same-sex marriage.
Some against the legislation say their concern is discrimination.
"What they're doing is creating a vehicle to discriminate against other Americans who disagree," said Anthony Verdugo. He is founder of the Christian Family Coalition.
Despite the bill's call for protections for religious liberty, he's afraid this could hurt people who are opposed to same-sex marriage.
"You can not tell me that you believe that the DOJ should discriminate or persecute or prosecute Americans who dissented on same-sex marriage. That's not America, because today it's me, tomorrow it will be you," Verdugo said.
After the Thanksgiving holiday, the Senate is expected to take up the bill. If it passes there, it goes on to the House for approval. If they approve it, it goes on to the president for his signature.