Amna: The U.S. Senate is
delaying voting on a bill to
protect same-sex until after the
midterms.
>> A bipartisan group of
senators hope to pass the
respect for marriage act as soon
as next week.
It passed the house with support
from dozens of Republicans but
negotiators could not get the 10
Republican senators needed to
commit to backing it.
Joining the I.S. Republican
senator rob portman, one of the
key supporters of that plan.
This is not a partisan issue.
70% of Americans support gay
marriage, same-sex marriage.
And a majority of Republicans.
How do you explain the hesitancy
and opposition from senate
Republicans?
>> There was a concern about the
impact on religious liberty.
If we try to codify the supreme
court case that it might have
consequences that were
unintended.
So we spent the last few weeks
refining the language.
I think we will get there.
But we needed a little bit more
time to let people properly vent
that language and determine how
we could codify the supreme
court which is the law of the
land.
To protect religious groups in
terms of adoption and health
care.
I think we are on the way to a
solution.
Amna: How do you respond to
folks and Republicans that say
they don't want to do this
before the election and
Democrats say it is political if
the delay is for that reason.
>> Some Republicans saw this as
her -- as a ploy on behalf of
the Democrats, particularly
senator Schumer because it was
pushed on us just before we went
away for the elections.
The notion is that when or lost,
some Democrats might see an
advantage to that.
I give credit to Tammy Baldwin
and Kyrsten Sinema, Democrat
from Arizona who worked with us.
We were able to postpone that.
I think right now, which should
go home before the elections.
And signed off on by everyone
needed, we would not have had
time to do it before the end of
the month.
The world's most deliberative
body.
Amna: There is another tough
issue for the headlines, that's
abortion.
I know you believe this issue
should be determined by the
states.
>> I think it will cut both
ways, honestly.
Most Americans when you look at
the polling data in the research
arm of planned parenthood says
72% of Americans would support a
15 week bill with exceptions.
It is a 15-week bill.
That's where most people are.
Amna: Glad to be talking to you
about a number of subjects
including migration.
You support a border wall and
more restrictions to limit
migrant access.
I wonder what you make of some
other Republicans sending
busloads of migrants to places
around the country that don't
have the infrastructure in place
right now to accept them.
>> I think it's good to raise
awareness about it.
I don't know that this is the
most effective way.
My understanding is no migrant
gets on a bus without being
asked if they would like to come
.
It is voluntary.
It's not like people are
required to do it.
People come to the border
seeking asylum and they are told
this bus is going to Boston or
New York or Chicago.
They get a free ride to that
location.
Apparently that is something
that a lot of migrants are
interested in doing.
It is something that will raise
awareness and will provide
transportation to individuals
where they want to go to places
where they might have family
members and can get a job.
It is a reflection of the broken
border system that there are so
many thousands of people every
day crossing the border again.
Over one million people during
this administration through the
asylum process.
Almost none of them have had a
hearing or are subject to any
court proceedings.
There are so many people in the
backlog right now.
The system is just not working.
Amna: Officials told my
colleague that they will need
billions of dollars for months
to come through indefinitely.
I talked to some Republicans on
the hill that are already
cooling down.
Are you concerned about if the
U.S. Will keep up funding to
Ukraine?
>> I feel strongly about this
issue.
I have a lot of Ukrainian
Americans in Ohio.
I was just there a couple weeks
ago.
This is our fight in addition to
their fight.
We are providing the ability to
defend themselves against the
Russian invasion.
The results of which are
terribly tragic.
I'm encouraged by a weapons
system that we have provided.
And they are actually making
progress, over 3000 square miles
liberated by Ukrainians.
This is not the time for us to
pull back.
It's a time for us to continue
providing support.
We continue to lead the free
world.
It is a shield for freedom.
Especially for Europe and the
entire world.
Anyone can waltz in and take
over another country.
And that will establish a
precedent to make the world much
more dangerous and cost us a lot
more overtime.
Amna: Thank you for taking the