On Tuesday, the Senate passed legislation protecting same-sex and interracial marriages. The Respect for Marriage Act was created to ensure that same-sex and interracial marriages would be engraved in federal law, providing a sense of relief for those who have married since the 2015 Supreme Court decision that legalized gay marriage.
If the Supreme Court was to decide to overturn its 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision that lawfully legalized same-sex marriage, a state could legally ban same-sex marriages. But with the passing of The Respect for Marriage Act, the state would be forced to recognize same-sex marriages from other states.
With a 61 – 36 vote, the legislation gained support from 12 republicans and all of the members of the Democratic caucus.
The bill is now being sent back to the House before being sent to President Joe Bidden to be signed into law.
According to CNN, the house is expected to pass the bill before the end of 2022 and as soon as next week.
