Same-sex marriage

The US Senate passed bipartisan legislation yesterday to protect same-sex marriages, an extraordinary sign of shifting national politics on the issue and a measure of relief for the hundreds of thousands of same-sex couples who have married since the Supreme Court’s 2015 decision that legalised gay marriage nationwide. The bill, which would ensure that same-sex and interracial marriages are enshrined in federal law, was approved 61-36 yesterday, including support from 12 Republicans. Democrats are moving quickly, while the party still holds the majority in both chambers of Congress. The bill has gained steady momentum since the Supreme Court’s June decision that overturned the federal right to an abortion, a ruling that included a concurring opinion from Justice Clarence Thomas that suggested same-sex marriage could also come under threat.