WASHINGTON, D.C., June 5, 2015 (LifeSiteNews) — A Democratic amendment to provide spousal benefits to same-sex veterans failed in the Senate yesterday — even though eight GOP senators backed the proposed change.
According to Roll Call, several of the Republican senators cited “fairness” as their reason for a policy change that would make veterans' same-sex relationships equal to marriages. One senator, however, told Roll Call that he backed the amendment because “it's basically current law.”
“In 2013, the Supreme Court settled the issue of providing federal benefits to legal spouses in same-sex marriages,” Sen. Ron Johnson, R-WI, explained to LifeSiteNews. “Providing federal benefits to legally married couples in Illinois or Minnesota but not to the same couples if they move to Michigan or Ohio creates undue difficulties for veterans, who are the finest among us. That is why I supported the Shaheen-Baldwin amendment today.”
“I believe in the traditional concept of marriage – one woman with one man – and will always support religious freedom regarding marriage that is guaranteed by our Constitution,” said Johnson.
The other seven Republicans who voted for the amendment were Kelly Ayotte of New Hampshire, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Susan Collins of Maine, Mark Kirk of Illinois, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska, Jeff Flake of Arizona, and Rob Portman of Ohio.
Roll Call reports that Ayotte called the question of benefits “an issue of equal treatment under the law.” At least three senators, including Johnson, were cited by the newspaper as noting the Supreme Court's marriage decision later this month would make the amendment an academic question — one way or the other.
Ayotte has admitted that she backed a non-binding resolution passed by the Senate earlier this year to provide same-sex “married” veterans the same benefits as married veterans.