Polygamy Seen as Possibility Under House-Passed Respect for Marriage Bill

House Democrats—with the assistance of 47 Republicans—on July 19 passed the Respect for Marriage Act. The bill would federally recognize any marriage if it is legally performed in any of the 50 states, and would allow the attorney general to file civil action lawsuits against states that refuse to recognize marriages from other states.

The bill, which would formally repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, now goes to the Senate, where it will require 60 votes to overcome a likely filibuster.

While recent polling data suggests that Americans overall are more in favor of gay marriage than generations prior, Heritage Foundation research assistant Jared Eckert warns that the House-passed bill could have dire consequences if passed by the Senate and signed into law by President Joe Biden.

“If one state—just one state—recognizes polygamy as a legitimate marriage or legal marriage, then basically, the federal government has to do that,” says Eckert.

Eckert joins the show today to discuss that and other possible unintended consequences of the Respect for Marriage Act, and what states can do to ensure their rights aren’t trampled on.

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