The US House approves legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriages. Democrats argued intensely and often personally in favor of enshrining marriage equality in federal law. Republicans steered clear of openly rejecting gay marriage; they said the bill was unnecessary amid other issues. There are concerns that the Supreme Court’s abortion access ruling could jeopardize other rights criticized by conservatives.
The vote was partly political strategy, forcing all House members, Republicans and Democrats, to go on the record. It reflected the legislative branch pushing back against an aggressive court that has raised questions about revisiting other apparently settled US laws. GOP leaders did not press their members to hold the party line against the bill, aides say. In all, 47 Republicans joined all Democrats in voting for passage; the bill passed 267-157.
The Respect for Marriage Act easily passed the House with a Democratic majority, but it is likely to stall in the evenly split Senate. It’s one of several bills, including those enshrining abortion access, that Democrats are proposing to confront the court’s conservative majority. Another bill, guaranteeing access to contraceptive services, is set for a vote later this week.
Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming and Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina are among the House Republicans who vote yes on same-sex marriage. ‘If gay couples want to be as happily or miserably married as straight couples, more power to them,’ they say. Gallup poll in June showed majority support for such unions among US adults, with both Democrats and Republicans backing it.
Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, a number of lawmakers joined protesters demonstrating against the abortion ruling. Capitol Police say among those arrested were 16 members of Congress. Approval of interracial marriage in the U.S. hit a six-decade high at 94% in September, according to Gallup. ‘The extremist right-wing majority on the Supreme Court has put our country down a perilous path,’ lawmaker says.
Republicans argued that the Supreme Court was only focused on abortion access when it struck down Roe v. Wade, and that same-sex marriage and other rights were not threatened. ‘We are here for a political charade,’ said Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee. ‘It’s time for our colleagues across the aisle to stand up and be counted,’ he said.
The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal a law from the Clinton era that defines marriage as a man and a woman. It would also provide legal protection for interracial marriages by prohibiting any state from denying out-of-state marriage licenses. The 1996 law, had been sidelined by Obama-era court rulings, including Obergefell v. Hodges.
Supreme Court Justice Samuel Alito wrote in the majority opinion that Roe v. Wade ‘concerns the constitutional right to abortion and no other right,’ others have taken notice. In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas said other rulings like those protecting same-sex marriage should be reconsidered. Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer says Trump backers are not satisfied with repealing Roe; he points to comments from Texas Sen. Ted Cruz who said over the weekend that the Supreme Court’s decision protecting marriage equality was ‘clearly wrong’ and state legislatures should visit the issue. But Schumer did not commit to holding a vote on the marriage bill.
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