House Passes Bill To Protect Marriage Equality and Interracial Marriages.

July 20, 2022 Glen Turpening

A bill that would federally protect same-sex marriages sailed through the House on Tuesday with bipartisan support, a historic moment that marks a capstone to the nation’s quarter-century evolution on LGBTQ rights and a response to fears that an emboldened Supreme Court was poised to take away hard-won civil rights. Forty-seven Republicans joined all Democrats in support of the Respect for Marriage Act that also would protect interracial marriage and repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between one man and one woman. House Republican Conference Chairwoman Elise Stefanik (N.Y.) and National Republican Congressional Committee Chair Tom Emmer (Minn.) were among those who voted in support, a signal that at least a portion of the party believes marriage equality is settled law.

Quote By Marianna Sotomayor, Leigh Ann Caldwell and Paul Kane , writing for 'The Washington Post'

What would have been seen as unnecessary a few years ago now seems urgent as the far right Supreme Court continues to remove load bearing walls that support what Americans believed to be their Constitutional rights. The Court is now reopening arguments on extraordinarily divisive issues most people thought were settles 2 generations ago. That is not the case and the Court is adamant about removing federal protections not explicitly mentioned in the Constitution.