U.S. Reps. Mark Green (left) and John Rose
The U.S. House of Representatives voted 258-169-1 Thursday to codify recognition of same-sex marriages nationally. After the U.S. Senate passed the Respect for Marriage Act earlier this month, the bill now goes to President Joe Biden, who has championed the effort.
Despite bipartisan support, Tennessee Republicans, including Nashville’s new congressional representatives, voted against the bill. Thirty-nine Republicans in the House voted for the bill.
U.S. Reps. Mark Green (R-Clarksville) and John Rose (R-Cookeville) saw their conservative congressional districts take on chunks of liberal Davidson County during redistricting. Both voted no on the Respect for Marriage Act, as did the other five Tennessee Republicans in the House. Republican Andy Ogles was elected in November to represent the rest of Nashville. Though Ogles has not been sworn in yet and was unable to vote, he has in recent months said he opposes gay marriage.
In a tweet, Green called the bill "a blatant attack on our First Amendment."
U.S. Rep. Jim Cooper (D-Nashville) decided to retire rather than seek reelection in his redrawn district. He and Tennessee’s other congressional Democrat, Steve Cohen of Memphis, voted for the bill Thursday.
The push follows the U.S. Supreme Court decision earlier this year reversing Roe v. Wade. Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in a concurring opinion that prior rulings establishing the right to same-sex marriage should be revisited. Upon Biden’s signature, the legislation will require states to recognize same-sex marriages even if 2015’s Obergefell v. Hodges is overturned.
More than half of Tennesseans support same-sex marriage according to recent polling.
