(The Hill) — Rep. Glenn Thompson (R-Pa.) attended his son’s same-sex wedding on Friday, days after he voted against a bill that would codify a right to same-sex marriage into federal law.
Thompson joined 156 other House Republicans last week in voting against the Respect for Marriage Act, which would protect the right to both same-sex marriage and interracial marriage.
The legislation passed the House with all Democrats and 47 Republicans voting in favor. The bill now heads to the Senate, where its future is uncertain.
Maddison Stone, Thompson’s press secretary, confirmed in a statement to The Hill that Thompson and his wife attended their son’s wedding on Friday.
“Congressman and Mrs. Thompson were thrilled to attend and celebrate their son’s marriage on Friday night as he began this new chapter in his life,” Stone said. “The Thompsons are very happy to welcome their new son-in-law into their family.”
Thompson’s office criticized the legislation offered by Democrats as a stunt aimed for the midterms.
“The bill was nothing more than an election-year messaging stunt for Democrats in Congress who have failed to address historic inflation and out-of-control prices at gas pumps and grocery stores,” Stone said in a statement last week.
Forty-seven House GOP lawmakers did vote for the measure, which Democrats said was necessary given a concurrent opinion from Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas to the decision overturning the Roe v. Wade decision. In the opinion, Thomas that the court should review other cases decided on similar legal reasoning, including Obergefell v. Hodges, the case that legalized same-sex marriage nationally.
Justice Samuel Alito said in the majority opinion overturning Roe that the court’s ruling should not be construed as having implications for other issues, but Thomas’ opinion raised alarms among Democrats.
A handful of Senate Republicans have declared their support for the bill, while multiple other GOP members have said they will oppose it. If all Democrats vote for the bill, it will need at least 10 Republican votes in favor to overcome a filibuster.
BuzzFeed News released an audio recording and transcript on Tuesday of a speech Thompson gave at the wedding of his son. He said in the speech that parents hope from the birth of their children that they are healthy and safe, that they find opportunity and inspiration and that they find their “one true love” when they get older.
“We love it when they find their one true love, especially when they become a part of our families then,” he said. “That’s what we’re rooting for.”
He said having a new son enter his family has been a “really good experience.”