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Legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriages crossed a major Senate hurdle on Wednesday, bringing Congress a step closer to ensuring such unions are enshrined in federal law.
The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act and require states to recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed.
It would also protect interracial marriages by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of "sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin."
The legislation, which passed the House in July, will advance after 12 Republicans voted with all Democrats to move forward, providing enough votes needed to overcome a filibuster in the 50-50 Senate. A final vote could come as soon as this week, or later this month.
"Passing this bill is as personal as it gets for so many of us," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said on Twitter. "My daughter and her wife—my daughter-in-law—are expecting a baby next spring. I want them—and everyone in a loving relationship—to live without the fear that their rights could be stripped way."
In a statement after the vote, President Joe Biden said that he will sign the bill once it is passed.
"Love is love, and Americans should have the right to marry the person they love," Biden said. "The Respect for Marriage Act will ensure that LGBTQI+ couples and interracial couples are respected and protected equally under federal law, and provide more certainty to these families since the Supreme Court's decision in Dobbs."
The Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, eliminating constitutional protections for abortion in that decision. An opinion from Justice Clarence Thomas at the time argued that the court should also reconsider an earlier high court decision protecting same-sex marriage.
The 37 Republicans who voted against the Respect for Marriage Act are:
- John Barrasso, WY
- Marsha Blackburn, TN
- John Boozman, AR
- Mike Braun, IN
- Bill Cassidy, LA
- John Cornyn, TX
- Tom Cotton, AR
- Kevin Cramer, ND
- Mike Crapo, ID
- Ted Cruz, TX
- Steve Daines, MT
- Deb Fischer, NE
- Lindsey Graham, SC
- Chuck Grassley, IA
- Bill Hagerty, TN
- Josh Hawley, MO
- John Hoeven, ND
- Cindy Hyde-Smith, MS
- Jim Inhofe, OK
- Ron Johnson, WI
- John Kennedy, LA
- James Lankford, OK
- Mike Lee, UT
- Roger Marshall, KS
- Mitch McConnell, KY
- Jerry Moran, KS
- Rand Paul, KY
- Jim Risch, ID
- Mike Rounds, SD
- Marco Rubio, FL
- Rick Scott, FL
- Tim Scott, SC
- Richard Shelby, AL
- John Thune, SD
- Patrick Toomey, PA
- Tommy Tuberville, AL
- Roger Wicker, MS
About the writer
Khaleda Rahman is Newsweek's National Correspondent based in London, UK. Her focus is reporting on education and national news. Khaleda ... Read more