Republicans Oppose As US House of Representatives Votes To Protect Gay Marriages
Image: Pete and Chasten Buttigieg.
The US House of Representatives passed the Respect for Marriage Act on Tuesday.
A reaction to the overturning of Roe V Wade, the bill would codify and protect same-sex and inter-racial marriages nationwide.
It would make all marriages valid nationally, regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of those individuals” if they were performed in a state where it is legal.
The vote passed 267-157, including 47 Republicans. All 157 ‘no’ votes were from Republicans.
Porter: Enshrines the Right to Same-Sex and Interracial Marriage Into Federal Law
The bill also would fully repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, the 1996 law that defined marriage as being between a man and a woman.
In response to the passage of the bill, Secretary of Transportation Pete Buttigieg tweeted, “It’s 2022, and 157 House Republicans just voted against marriage equality. That’s where they come down on this issue. In 2022.”
It’s 2022, and 157 House Republicans just voted against marriage equality.
That’s where they come down on this issue.
In 2022.
— Pete Buttigieg (@PeteButtigieg) July 19, 2022
In a tweet, Democratic Representative Katie Porter wrote, “My colleagues and I just voted to enshrine the right to same-sex and interracial marriage into federal law. The Respect for Marriage Act also requires officials to recognize out-of-state marriages regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin—no matter state law.”
My colleagues and I just voted to enshrine the right to same-sex and interracial marriage into federal law. The Respect for Marriage Act also requires officials to recognize out-of-state marriages regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin—no matter state law.
— Rep. Katie Porter (@RepKatiePorter) July 19, 2022
The Respect for Marriage Act now moves on to the evenly divided US Senate where it needs at least 10 Republican votes to pass.
In a post on Facebook, US Senator Elizabeth Warren, wrote, “Americans should be able to marry who they want and who they love. But right-wing extremists are already plotting to strip away this fundamental right. The U.S. House voted today to protect this right from this radical Supreme Court. Now, the Senate should do its part.”
On July 17 US Senator Ted Cruz, a Republican, said that the Supreme Court was wrong to legalise same-sex marriage.
