If you have followed national news lately, you’ve heard about the Respect for Marriage Act, and if you follow Iowa representatives, you might have heard that our esteemed Sen. Chuck Grassley voted against this bill.

The Respect for Marriage Act is a proposed legislation that would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act and ensure same-sex marriages are recognized at the federal level. Additionally, it would ensure the continued protection of interracial marriages. 

As of now, it has been passed by both the House and the Senate and is awaiting President Joe Biden’s signature.

DOMA, which was passed in 1996, defines marriage as a legal union between one man and one woman for the purposes of federal law. This means that same-sex couples, even if they are legally married in their state, are not eligible for the same federal benefits as opposite-sex couples.

The Respect for Marriage Act will repeal DOMA and extend federal recognition and benefits to same-sex couples who are legally married in their state. This would include benefits like social security survivor benefits, joint tax filing, and immigration rights. Grassley has publicly stated that he supports interracial and same-sex marriage. His reasoning for voting against the bill is a two-pronged argument. 

“This legislation is simply unnecessary,” Grassley said in a statement. He believes the bill is not needed because there is no threat to same-sex marriage in the U.S.

This seems like willful blindness to the current divisive nature of American politics. After the overturning of Roe v. Wade, many members of the GOP spoke out about new goals in overturning landmark cases like Obergefell v. Hodges. 

The overturn of Roe v. Wade is a reminder that no Supreme Court verdict is truly safe. If something is not written into law, there is always a chance that these fundamental rights can be threatened.

The second argument in Grassley’s refusal of the bill was that the act had the potential to infringe on people’s religious freedoms. But it is clearly stated within the act that it does not overlap with faith, and everyone’s religious liberties are protected.

Even Sen. Joni Ernst disagreed with Grassley. This came as a surprise to some because Ernst’s voting record has historically been closely linked with Grassley’s. However, in this case, Ernst voted for the Respect for Marriage Act.

“After hearing directly from Iowans and closely reviewing the amended language, I believe this bill protects religious freedoms and will simply maintain the status quo in Iowa,” Ernst said in a statement. 

From an outsider’s perspective, none of Grassley’s claims for blocking the Respect for Marriage Act hold merit. This seems like a prime example of politicians using vague language to maintain systems that oppress minorities like the LGBTQ+ community and communities of color. 

Overall, this story ends on a positive note because the act was able to pass with bipartisan support. However, this is a reminder that it is up to us as Iowans to call out our politicians for discriminatory policies.

Columns reflect the opinions of the authors and are not necessarily those of the Editorial Board, The Daily Iowan, or other organizations in which the author may be involved.