Senate Passes Landmark Marriage Equality Bill.
The Senate moved on the marriage equality bill and now the House will vote on the bill before it can be sent to the President. (CNN)
“The Senate on Tuesday passed legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriage, called the Respect for Marriage Act, in a landmark bipartisan vote.
The final vote was 61-36. The bill was supported by all members of the Democratic caucus and 12 Republicans, the same dozen GOP members who backed the bill for a procedural vote earlier this month.
The House will now need to approve the legislation before sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. The House is expected to pass the bill before the end of the year – possibly as soon as next week.
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The Senate passed what would have been considered just a few years ago-a bill that guarantees Marriage Equality apart from the Supreme Court’s ‘Obergefell’ decision. Surprisingly a large number of Republicans, primarily from more moderate states, signed on to the legislation that is now headed for the passage in the House. The decision to hold off until after the election, in what is a lame duck session, paid off for Sen. Majority leader Schumer who made call in order to remove some of the partisan rancor from the process. This will be a crowning moment for Speaker Pelosi as she exits her House Speakership next year.
