Staff Reports
A proposal was introduced by Iowa’s Republican lawmakers on Tuesday, which aims to terminate the recognition of same-sex marriages by the state through a constitutional amendment. HJR8, if approved, would define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, going against federal law and the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision in Obergefell v. Hodges.
No, @IowaGOP, we will not be going back to the days when committed, loving same-sex couples don’t have the same right to marriage equality as everyone else.
This kind of disgusting hatred and backwards thinking has no place in Iowa. And I’ll fight it every single day. pic.twitter.com/ZmEeTtWsFu
— Sami Scheetz (@SamiScheetz) February 28, 2023
In a statement given to the Daily Caller News Foundation, Republican Iowa state Rep. Brad Sherman explained that the proposed amendment’s purpose is to ensure that the federal government is operating within its constitutional limits. He asserted that the Respect for Marriage Act, which was enacted by President Joe Biden in December, mandates the federal government to acknowledge same-sex marriages, but it does not grant the authority to dictate what marriage should be defined as within individual states.
According to Rep. Brad Sherman, HR508 would not alter or eliminate any existing state laws concerning same-sex marriages. The bill does not aim to impose any beliefs on same-sex couples; they are free to label their relationship as a marriage if they wish to exercise their freedom. On the other hand, individuals who do not consider same-sex unions as marriages should not be compelled to do so. HR508 is designed to shield such individuals from prosecution and protect their religious freedom, as stated by Sherman.
Democratic Iowa state Rep. Sami Scheetz expressed her opposition to the proposed amendment, which was voiced out on Twitter. She made it clear that she will not support a move that would return the state to a time when same-sex couples were not granted the same marriage equality rights as everyone else. In her tweet, she labeled the proposed amendment’s mentality as “disgusting hatred” and “backwards thinking,” emphasizing that it has no place in Iowa. Scheetz pledged to fight against it each day.
In addition to the amendment, Republicans proposed a joint resolution Tuesday allowing Iowa residents to not acknowledge same-sex marriages. The resolution states that the Respect for Marriage Act violates the Constitution by encroaching on powers granted to states and calls for that law to be nullified in Iowa.
It is clear that the Republican legislators in Iowa are standing up for traditional values and protecting the rights of those who do not believe in same-sex marriage. The proposed amendment and joint resolution are a much needed step in the right direction for those who believe marriage should be between one man and one woman. It is important that we protect our religious liberties and ensure that the federal government does not overstep its Constitutional boundaries. It is time for us to stand up for our beliefs and fight for what we know is right.
Source: The Daily Caller
