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'Thank you for fighting for all human beings': Internet rejoices as Respect For Marriage Act passed on 61-36 vote

'The more you can secure your rights through legislation as opposed to judicial fiat, the better,' said a user

WASHINGTON DC, WASHINGTON: The United States Senate has now voted to enshrine the right to same-sex and interracial marriage into federal law. On Tuesday, November 29, the Respect For Marriage Act passed on a 61-36 vote with 11 Republicans voting with Democrats on the measure.

It is now set to go back to the House of Representatives, where it is expected to pass the Democrat-controlled chamber and then head to President Joe Biden's desk before the current Congressional term ends. 

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"The Senate just passed the Respect for Marriage Act! This is a huge win in the fight to protect marriage equality," Congressional Progressive Caucus Chair Rep. Pramila Jayapal said in a statement after the vote, according to the Daily Mail. "There’s no time to waste. The House must act swiftly to get it to the President’s desk."

Biden, too, hailed the bill's passage. "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," he said in a statement sent out by the White House.

"Importantly, the Senate’s passage of the Respect for Marriage Act is a bipartisan achievement. I’m grateful to the determined Members of Congress — especially Senators Baldwin, Collins, Portman, Sinema, Tillis, and Feinstein — whose leadership has underscored that Republicans and Democrats together support the essential right of LGBTQI+ and interracial couples to marry," he added. "I look forward to welcoming them at the White House after the House passes this legislation and sends it to my desk, where I will promptly and proudly sign it into law."

As many as 61 senators voted to advance the bill in a procedural maneuver on Monday, November 28. 35, on the other hand, opposed it. The act first passed the House of Representatives in July in a 267-157 vote.

Respect for Marriage Act is meant to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act. This would ensure the recognition of same-sex marriage across the board, and provide a definition of marriage for federal purposes to include gay marriage. It would also prohibit any person acting under the color of state law from "failing to give full effect to an out of state marriage" on the basis of sex, race, gender, or national origin.

Twitter appreciated the passage of the bill, with one user saying, "As a 70 yr. old who thought our generation would make the world a better place (in some ways, we did but fell far short in far too many others), I want to thank you & others of your generation for continuing the work for a just, equitable, & safer world. I'm profoundly grateful." "If true, then good. Finally, Gen Z would do something worthwhile. It was we Boomers who worked, at great personal risk, to get any respect for lesbians and gays at all going," wrote another. One user said, "The issues you cited are existential ones for Gen Z. They will make a difference in this nation."

"Thank you for fighting for all human beings and fighting even harder for specific human rights," one user wrote, while another said, "This is really important. The more you can secure your rights through legislation as opposed to judicial fiat, the better." "Great job. Thanks for fighting for us," one user said.

This article contains remarks made on the Internet by individual people and organizations. MEAWW cannot confirm them independently and does not support claims or opinions being made online.