Senate set to vote in historic Respect for Marriage Act bill tabled by Democrats
WASHINGTON DC, WASHINGTON: The Senate is set to vote on a historic same-sex marriage bill, incorporating it into federal law on Tuesday, November 29. The bill is called the Respect for Marriage Act and is most likely to go ahead after 12 Republicans have joined with Democrats in earlier procedural votes. It was supported by a wider margin of the GOP and it was then amended to include its provisions considering the religious liberty of an individual. The house will first go ahead with voting on its many amendments before taking a call on the final passage of the bill.
After getting the nod from the upper chamber, the marriage equality plan will return to the House for a vote, and if approved by the Democratic-led chamber as many expect, it will then finally move to President Joe Biden to be turned into a law. The White House has already shown its support and appealed for its smooth passage by congress. Earlier, 47 Republicans joined Democrats this summer to go ahead with an earlier version of the legislation.
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Love is love and Americans should have the right to marry the person they love. Today’s bipartisan Senate vote gets us closer to protecting that right.
— President Biden (@POTUS) November 16, 2022
The Respect for Marriage Act protects all couples under law – I urge Congress to send the bill to my desk so I can make it law.
The Respect for Marriage Act bill comes amid the Supreme Court's overturned landmark decision in Roe vs Wade ruling in June, bringing clarity on the constitutional right to an abortion. Democrats concerned that Supreme Court rulings, such as rights that protect same-sex marriage, will be in under threat, they moved to protect the right to marriage equality into federal law, as per CBS News.
The bill repeals the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act and protects interracial marriages by all valid marriages to be recognized regardless of "race, sex, national origin, or ethnicity." After Republicans pointed out that it would endanger religious freedom, Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer postponed the voting procedure after the midterm elections, though the bill got extended support from both parties in Senate as it got cleared by the House in July.
“The rights of all married couples will never truly be safe without the proper protections under federal law, and that’s why the Respect for Marriage Act is necessary,” said Chuck Schumer, on the Senate floor before a test vote on Monday, November 28, as reported by PBS. However, there were a few major political figures who continue to oppose the bill despite ever-growing public support. This includes Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, and 36 other Republicans, supported by several conservative groups appealing Senate to scrap the bill.
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints supported the amended bill with religious liberty protections.