In a statement, Johnson called the bill “unnecessary” but said that if it comes up for a vote in the Senate, as expected, he sees “no reason to oppose it.”
So far, five Senate Republicans are expected to vote to advance the bill — while a majority of the conference has not made up its mind. At least 10 Republicans would need to join Democrats to break a filibuster, but senators from both parties said they expected the bill to eventually win 60 votes.
The Wisconsin Republican said he “doesn’t see a scenario where the Supreme Court would overturn” the Obergefell v. Hodges decision and criticized Democrats for pushing a bill to codify same-sex marriage.
“The Respect for Marriage Act is another example of Democrats creating a state of fear on an issue to further divide Americans for their political gain. While I think the Respect for Marriage Act is unnecessary if it comes before the Senate, I see no reason to oppose it,” he said.
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer took procedural steps Thursday that will allow him to schedule a debate and vote on a House-passed bill that would enshrine same-sex marriage protections in federal law.
It’s not yet clear when votes will be scheduled, and the chances of a vote on the matter before the August recess look bleak as the Senate has a number of other priorities competing for time.
Schumer said Wednesday he wants to take the House-passed bill to the Senate, and said Democrats are “working to get the necessary support from Republicans in the Senate to make sure it passes.”
The Democratic-led House of Representatives on Tuesday voted to pass the bill. The bipartisan final vote was 267 to 157, with 47 Republicans joining Democrats to vote for the bill.
The House vote comes amid concerns among Democrats that the Supreme Court’s conservative majority could target same-sex marriage in the future after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade in a remarkably consistent reversal of longstanding legal precedent.
CNN’s Ali Zaslav and Ted Barrett contributed to this report.
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