(Presidentialwire.com)- The “Respect for Marriage Act,” which President Joe Biden signed into law on the South Lawn of the White House on Tuesday, mandates that the federal government recognize gay and interracial marriages performed at the state level.
Biden said that with that signing, America made the last step toward liberty and justice for all. For everyone, not just for some.
He said marriage is a straightforward idea. Who do you love, and will you remain devoted to them? The government shouldn’t meddle in marriage.
Before Biden spoke, Vice President Kamala Harris linked the Dobbs ruling to the act’s passage.
Harris said that the Dobbs ruling serves as a reminder that fundamental rights, such as the right to marry the person you love, are intertwined. The right to choose how to take care of your body and the right to access contraception.
Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer both spoke in support of the act’s passage. Pelosi claimed that Schumer’s decision to dress in the same tie as he did for his daughter’s second marriage was motivated by “respect.”
The act’s passage will allow “millions more devoted partners to shed a tear of joy,” according to Pelosi.
After passing the Senate by a vote of 61-36, the bill was approved by the House of Representatives with a vote of 258-169.
The federal right to an abortion has been “stripped away” by an extreme Supreme Court, according to Biden.
The “Respect for Marriage Act” calls for the recognition of interstate same-sex and interracial unions but does not require states to recognize same-sex marriage. The federal government must provide same-sex marriages with the same benefits, such as Social Security survivor benefits.
During the 2008 campaign, Vice President Joe Biden claimed he opposed same-sex marriage. By 2012, Biden had reportedly reversed course and said gay couples are “entitled to the same exact rights.”
