Senate

Baldwin says she confronted Rubio after he called vote to codify same-sex marriage a ‘stupid waste of time’

by Julia Mueller - 07/22/22 11:33 AM ET

Anna Rose Layden
Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) addresses reporters during a press conference of Democratic women Senators on their continued fight to protect abortion rights on Capitol Hill in Washington, D.C., on Thursday, May 19, 2022.

The first openly LGBTQ senator says she confronted Sen. Marco Rubio (R-Fla.) for his comments that a same-sex marriage bill vote was a “stupid waste of time.”

Together in a congressional elevator after the House voted to advance the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA), which would codify marriage rights for same-sex and interracial couples, Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) pushed back on Rubio’s dismissal of the bill, Baldwin told CNN Thursday.

Baldwin said she brought up the recent Supreme Court ruling that overturned the decision granting the right to abortion, saying such decisions eat away at privacy rights that should be protected — with which Rubio reportedly disagreed.

Baldwin declined to share further details of the conversation with CNN. The Hill has reached out to the offices of Baldwin and Rubio for comment.

The RFMA passedthe House with a 267-157 vote, and though most Republicans in the tally opposed, 47 Republicans voted with their Democratic colleagues in favor.

The bill now faces a 50-50 Senate. Baldwin is working with Senate Majority Leader Charles Schumer (D-N.Y.) to gather 10 Senate Republican votes for the bill and overcome the filibuster.

In the Senate, Republicans vary in their potential to back the bill, from GOP co-sponsors Sen. Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio) to staunch opponents Sens. Ted Cruz (R-Texas) and Lindsey Graham (R-S.C.).

The bill is noted as a response to an opinion from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas that suggested the court would consider overturning prior decisions that protect LGBTQ rights.

It would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act recognizing only those marriages between one man and one woman, as well as establish provisions giving same-sex and interracial couples the same protections as other married couples.

The White House urged Wednesday for the Senate to pass the bill — and press secretary Karine Jean-Pierre said Biden would sign the bill if it came before him.