On Tuesday, the Senate passed historic legislation which would allow for federal protection of same-sex and interracial marriages.
The Respect for Marriage Act was approved 61-36, with support from all Democrats and 12 GOP votes. The measure now returns to the House for a final vote before it can go to President Joe Biden, who looks forward to enacting it.
Today's bipartisan Senate passage of the Respect for Marriage Act proves our nation is on the brink of reaffirming a fundamental truth: love is love.
— President Biden (@POTUS) November 30, 2022
I look forward to the House passing this legislation and sending it to my desk, where I will proudly sign it into law.
“With today’s bipartisan Senate passage of the Respect for Marriage Act, the United States is on the brink of reaffirming a fundamental truth: love is love, and Americans should have the right to marry the person they love,” Biden said in a statement. "It will also ensure that, for generations to follow, LGBTQI+ youth will grow up knowing that they, too, can lead full, happy lives and build families of their own."
Wisconsin Democrat Sen. Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay person to serve in the Senate, said its passage should relieve concerns of same-sex and interracial couples worried their marriages could possibly be stripped away.
“The Senate has the opportunity to put those fears to rest and give millions of people in same sex and interracial marriages the certainty, dignity and respect that they need and deserve,” she said before the vote.
Advocacy groups for LGBTQ+ communities are also happy with the news.
“Today demonstrates that the freedom to marry, like all LGBTQ issues, is about people, not politics. And when we work together to implement policies that support LGBTQ communities, we are collectively building a more affirming and accepting society for our LGBTQ friends, family members, and neighbors — and ultimately, all of us,” said Kasey Suffredini ,Vice President of Advocacy and Government Affairs at The Trevor Project.
The U.S. Senate is moving forward with the #RespectforMarriageAct to protect same-sex and interracial marriage federally with 62 votes in the affirmative. This is a huge win for the right to marry who you love. 🌈 Read more here:https://t.co/cOkpWavHIK pic.twitter.com/4BqVYNb1Iw
— The Trevor Project (@TrevorProject) November 17, 2022
Hey queen! Don’t miss out on our exclusive curation with the one and only fashion RAJA! Subscribe to Drag Society today.