Here Are the 12 Senate Republicans Who Just Voted to Advance a Same-Sex Marriage Rights Bill

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Twelve Republicans joined Democrats in voting 62-37 to advance the Respect for Marriage Act on Wednesday.

The legislation received 62 votes, two more than the requisite 60 needed to invoke cloture to begin or end debate on a bill. In July, the House passed it with 47 Republicans voting in favor of it.

Here are the twelve GOP senators who voted to advance the legislation:

Roy Blunt (MO)

Richard Burr (NC)

Shelley Moore Capito (WV)

Susan Collins (ME)

Joni Ernst (IA)

Cynthia Lummis (WY)

Lisa Murkowski (AK)

Rob Portman (OH)

Dan Sullivan (AK)

Mitt Romney (UT)

Thom Tillis (NC)

Todd Young (IN)

This legislation would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, parts of which were struck down by the Supreme Court in Windsor v. U.S., where the court ruled the law’s definition of marriage as a union between one man and one woman violates the equal protection guarantees under the Fifth Amendment’s Due Process Clause.

The court further chipped away at DOMA with its decision in Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, where it ruled that states are prohibited from denying same-sex couples the right to marry.

The Respect for Marriage Act would not guarantee the right of citizens to enter into same-sex marriages. That right is currently protected by the Obergefell decision. If that ruling is overturned, as Justice Clarence Thomas has hinted that it should be, repealing DOMA effectively would mean states must recognize same-sex marriages validated by other states.

DOMA explicitly declared states were not required to recognize same-sex marriages licensed elsewhere in the country. Even if Obergefell were overturned, the Respect for Marriage Act would mandate that states – including states that have banned same-sex marriage – honor licenses issued by others.

If the Senate passes the legislation, it will head to President Joe Biden’s desk for his signature.