ol ence ▁Again st ▁Women ▁Re author ization ▁Act ▁which ▁included ▁prov isions ▁to ▁assist ▁vict ims ▁regardless ▁of ▁sexual ▁orientation ▁or ▁gender ▁identity ▁and ▁which ▁prohib ited ▁its ▁funds ▁from ▁being ▁given ▁to ▁programs ▁that ▁disc rim inate ▁on ▁the ▁basis ▁of ▁sexual ▁orientation ▁or ▁gender ▁identity . ▁He ▁was ▁one ▁of ▁ 1 5 ▁Republic ans ▁in ▁the ▁Senate ▁who ▁voted ▁in ▁favor ▁of ▁the ▁re - author ization . ▁ ▁When ▁asked ▁about ▁same - sex ▁marriage , ▁he ▁focused ▁on ▁the ▁economy ; ▁" B rown ▁said ▁the ▁economic ▁challeng es ▁in ▁regards ▁to ▁jobs , ▁health care ▁and ▁college ▁tu ition ▁affect ▁both ▁straight ▁and ▁gay ▁cou ples ▁and ▁that ▁is ▁what ▁he ▁is ▁working ▁to ▁address ." ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 1 2 , ▁his ▁campaign ▁said ▁" S en ator ▁Brown ▁is ▁a ▁supp orter ▁of ▁civil ▁un ions , ▁but ▁bel ieves ▁that ▁marriage ▁is ▁between ▁a ▁man ▁and ▁a ▁woman . ▁He ▁bel ieves ▁that ▁individual ▁states ▁are ▁best ▁position ed ▁to ▁decide ▁whether ▁to ▁allow ▁gay ▁marriage , ▁and ▁he ▁does ▁not ▁support ▁a ▁' one ▁size ▁fits ▁all ' ▁approach ▁from ▁the ▁federal ▁government ." ▁ ▁He ▁was ▁end ors ed ▁by ▁Log ▁Cab in ▁Republic ans ▁which ▁supports ▁same - sex ▁marriage ▁and ▁other ▁gay ▁rights . ▁The ▁Log ▁Cab in ▁Republic ans ▁gave ▁him ▁their ▁top ▁award ▁after ▁he ▁voted ▁to ▁repe al ▁D AD T . ▁The ▁Human ▁Rights ▁Camp aign ▁( H RC ), ▁an ▁advoc acy