The U.S. Senate is on track to codify same-sex marriage into federal law. Altogether, 12 Republicans joined all 50 Democrats and voted in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act. The bill repeals the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) which defines marriage as between one man and one woman. It’s interesting that the federal government wants to codify a highly controversial social issue and impose it upon middle America. Critics say the bill lacks religious freedom protections and could be used as a tool used to hurt business owners who want to run their businesses according to Christian principles. Ethics and Religious Liberty Policy Manager Hannah Daniel said, “The ERLC will continue to oppose the Respect for Marriage Act as it moves ahead and, if signed into law, will work to address the serious religious liberty ramifications from it. In a time where Congress has no shortage of important concerns to tackle, our representatives should prioritize solutions for the pressing issues facing the American people rather than divisive bills that harm people of faith.”