Blunt says churches need protection after gay-marriage ruling

WASHINGTON – Sen. Roy Blunt said Wednesday he is in active discussions with other conservatives about a legislative response to the Supreme Court's decision legalizing same-sex marriage.

Blunt said he does not support a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage, and he sees last month's Supreme Court ruling as definitive in terms of the legality of such unions.

But Blunt said he is concerned the ruling could impinge on the religious freedom of churches and other faith-based institutions that view homosexuality as a sin.

"The question here is are our faith-based institutions and churches and schools going to be penalized for anything they might have in their covenants and bylaws," Blunt said Wednesday.

Blunt met with about two dozen conservative activists in the basement of the Capitol Wednesday to discuss this issue, among others. It was a meeting of the Values Action Team, which Blunt chairs and which serves as a liaison to conservative groups focused on religious and social issues.

The Republican senator said he's looking at crafting legislation that would protect religious organizations from lawsuits or other actions that could attack their opposition to same-sex marriage.

Sen. Claire McCaskill, D-Mo., said there is no need for such legislation.

"There was nothing in the Supreme Court case that compromises freedom of religion," she said. "The Supreme Court made it clear that nothing (in the ruling) should be construed to limit people ... from following their faith."

But Blunt said some churches are worried that people who support same-sex marriage might join their congregations, only to disclose later "that they had a different view on this important church tenet."

"... The member could then sue the church because their bylaws prevent them from exercising rights that they feel they now have," he said. "You have to assume here there will be some element of people looking for test cases."

Blunt said his effort would be narrower than the controversial "religious freedom" law recently signed by Indiana Gov. Mike Pence. Opponents of that measure said it would allow businesses to deny services to gays and lesbians, citing their religious beliefs.

Blunt said he did not think the Supreme Court's gay marriage ruling would be legislated and litigated the same way abortion has been in the decades since the court's 1973 Roe v. Wade decision.

"It seems to be me that the court was very determinative in their view that states have to recognize gay marriage," he said.

Blunt also said he did not plan to join the push for a constitutional amendment to ban same-sex marriage. Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, is among those supporting such a move.

"I continue to think these things are better left to the states," Blunt said. "I think the Constitution is silent on these issues for a reason, whether the Supreme Court is or not."

Contact Deirdre Shesgreen at dshesgreen@usatoday.com or follow me on Twitter @dshesgreen.