Same-sex marriage bill passes in House

Biden expected to sign legislation into law

WASHINGTON – The House passed historic legislation Thursday that would federally protect same-sex and interracial marriage rights in a major win for LGBTQ rights advocates.

The bill now moves to President Joe Biden, who is expected to sign the legislation into law.

The Respect for Marriage Act guarantees federal recognition of any marriage between two people if it is valid in the state where they were married. It also requires states to accept the legitimacy of a valid marriage performed elsewhere but does not require any state to issue a marriage license contrary to its own law.

The bipartisan legislation received Republican support in Congress, passing in the Senate 61-36 last month with support from a dozen Republicans. It cleared the House 258-169 with the support of 39 Republicans.

Some Republican lawmakers argued the bill would infringe on the rights of churches and other faithbased organizations. But senators added an amendment that left room for religious objections and would not legally require individuals or groups to provide services for a wedding ceremony or celebration if it’s against their religious beliefs. It also would not recognize polygamous unions.

Lawmakers drafted the bill after the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade in June. Associate Justice Clarence Thomas expressed interest in reconsidering same-sex and interracial marriage rights in a separate concurring opinion that no other justice joined.

“It’s finally in law that we will respect, defend and protect the right of every individual to marry the person they love,” Vice President Kamala Harris said Thursday.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi called the legislation a “glorious triumph of love and freedom . ... Not only are we on the right side of history, we’re on the right side of the future – expanding freedom in America.”