House passes bill to protect same-sex marriage, measure now goes to Biden - live updates - USA TODAY

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WASHINGTON – The House passed historic authorities Thursday that would federally protect same-sex and interracial matrimony rights in a large triumph for LGBTQ-rights advocates.

  • Biden expected to motion the measurement into law: Passage of the measure moves it to President Joe Biden, who is expected to motion it into law. 
  • What is it?: The Respect for Marriage Act, passed by the Senate past week, guarantees national designation of immoderate matrimony betwixt 2 radical if it was valid successful the authorities wherever they were married. It besides requires states to judge the legitimacy of a valid matrimony performed elsewhere but does not necessitate immoderate authorities to contented a matrimony licence contrary to its ain law.
  • Republicans supported it: It passed the Senate 61-36 in November with a twelve Republicans successful support. On Thursday, dozens of Republican House members voted successful enactment of the bill, which passed 258-169
  • The measure was a effect to the Roe v. Wade ruling and Clarence Thomas: Lawmakers drafted the measure pursuing the Supreme Court’s determination to overturn Roe v. Wade in June. Associate Justice Clarence Thomas expressed involvement successful reconsidering same-sex and interracial marriage rights successful a abstracted concurring sentiment that nary different justness joined.
  • Republican objections: The measure makes room for spiritual objections, a effect to Republican concerns. But Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said it doesn't spell acold enough. 

Couples respond to bill's passage: As Respect for Marriage Act passes, same-sex couples stock tentative enthusiasm

The latest:

President Joe Biden: Passage is simply a ‘critical step’ to guarantee Americans tin wed the idiosyncratic they love

President Joe Biden said successful a connection the transition of the Respect for Marriage Act volition bring bid of mind to millions in the LGBTQ community and to interracial couples.  

“Congress has restored a measurement of information to millions of marriages and families,” helium said. “They person besides provided anticipation and dignity to millions of young radical crossed this state who tin turn up knowing that their authorities volition admit and respect the families they build.”

Biden added that the combat for LGBTQ Americans and each Americans “must ne'er stop.”  

“On this day, Jill and I are reasoning of the courageous couples and fiercely committed advocates who person fought for decades to unafraid nationwide matrimony equality astatine the Supreme Court and successful Congress,” helium said.  

– Rachel Looker

Vice President Kamala Harris: ‘It’s an historical day’

Vice President Kamala Harris tweeted a video effect following the House passing the Respect for Marriage Act, saying it is agelong overdue and calling it “an historical day.”  

“It’s yet successful instrumentality that we volition respect, support and support the close of each idiosyncratic to wed the idiosyncratic they love,” she said.

– Rachel Looker

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Former Rep. Barney Frank celebrates passage

Former Massachusetts Rep. Barney Frank, 1 of the archetypal openly cheery members of Congress, made an quality connected Capitol Hill aft the transition of the same-sex matrimony legislation.   

The erstwhile Democratic congressman, who retired successful 2013, has advocated for civilian and LGBTQ rights and helped advance civilian rights authorities utilizing his idiosyncratic story. Frank highlighted Democratic Sen. Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, the archetypal openly cheery senator, for her efforts pushing the authorities done the Senate and understanding the value of the troubles same-sex matrimony couples face.

“I anticipation radical volition present instrumentality this arsenic an illustration of liable legislating, not being panicked by radical who person much emotion than intelligence on an issue," helium said.

– Rachel Looker

Freedom to Marry campaign: Respect for Marriage Act is simply a triumph for families, state – and American activism

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer touts idiosyncratic transportation to Respect for Marriage Act

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said pushing the Respect for Marriage Act crossed the decorativeness enactment required patience and persistence. He highlighted his girl and her wife, who helium said are expecting their archetypal kid adjacent year.  

“Thanks to the tireless advocacy of galore ... and the dogged hard enactment by galore of my colleagues, my grandchild volition unrecorded successful satellite that volition respect and grant their mother’s marriage,” helium said.  

– Rachel Looker

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi: ‘What a large day’

“What a large day, isn’t it?” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said astatine a property league aft the measure passed, calling the authorities a “glorious triumph of emotion and freedom.”  

She said Congress succeeded successful lasting against an urgent menace to the nations’ values.

“At past we person past making. But not lone are we connected the close broadside of history, we’re connected the close broadside of the aboriginal – expanding state successful America,” Pelosi said.  

– Rachel Looker

Dozens of Republicans enactment Respect for Marriage Act

The Respect for Marriage Act received bipartisan enactment with 39 House Republicans voting for its passage. One Republican voted present. Every Democrat typical voted to enactment the legislation.

The measure besides received bipartisan enactment successful the Senate receiving a twelve votes from Republicans.

– Rachel Looker 

Respect for Marriage Act passes House

Lawmakers voted 258-169, with 1 subordinate voting present, to walk the same-sex marriage bill that volition federally support same-sex and interracial matrimony rights.

The authorities present heads to President Joe Biden’s table to beryllium signed into law.  

-Rachel Looker

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi highlights LGBTQ trailblazers

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she supports the Respect for Marriage Act successful representation of Phyllis Lyon and Del Martin, the archetypal same-sex mates recognized successful San Francisco and pioneers for civilian rights.  

“Today, we basal up to the values the immense bulk of Americans clasp dear – a content successful the dignity, quality and divinity successful each idiosyncratic successful abiding respect for emotion truthful almighty that it binds 2 radical together,” she said, lasting adjacent to a ample photograph of Lyon and Martin.  

Pelosi said erstwhile she was archetypal sworn into office, her archetypal code connected the House level fought favoritism against people with HIV and AIDS.

“My last bill, arsenic talker the archetypal time, 1 of the last bills that I signed, was the repeal of Don't Ask, Don't Tell," she added. "And present 1 of the last bills that I volition motion successful the enrollment volition beryllium this beauteous legislation, the Respect for Marriage Act, and that we are passing today.”

-Rachel Looker

Rep. Jim Jordan: 'No spot for violence'

In effect to Rep. Steny Hoyer, D-Md., referencing the shooting at a Colorado LGBTQ club past month, Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said portion the Colorado shooting was “as incorrect arsenic could be,” it was besides incorrect erstwhile churches and situation gestation centers were attacked aft the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade earlier this year.

“There is nary spot for violence, but let's beryllium clear: let's condemn each of it,” Jordan said. Of the Supreme Court, Jordan said, “Let's bash what we tin to support it. And let's not enactment connected this concerted effort to intimidate the court.”

-Rachel Looker

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries: 'Respect liberty and justness for all'

Rep. Hakeem Jeffries, D-N.Y., the adjacent person of House Democrats, referenced the Declaration of Independence, that "all men are created adjacent and entitled to life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" and said the Respect for Marriage Act has brought those words to light.

Jeffries said the enactment connected the legislation is successful effect to the conservative and "reckless" Supreme Court bulk that threatens freedom.  

“Respect freedom, respect liberty and justness for all,” helium said.  

-Rachel Looker  

LGBTQ representative: ‘We indispensable emergence to the situation and we volition prevail’

Rep. Mark Takano, D-Calif., the archetypal openly cheery subordinate of colour elected to the House said the authorities is simply a reminder of the necessity for vigilance successful the combat for quality rights.  

“When my colleagues and I walk the Respect for Marriage Act successful the House today, it volition mean the satellite to me, my loved ones and to millions of Americans,” helium said.  

“We indispensable emergence to the situation and we volition prevail,” helium added.  

-Rachel Looker

Rep. Colin Allred urges colleagues to enactment bill

Rep. Colin Allred, D-Texas, highlighted the "huge relief" implicit the quality that WNBA prima Brittney Griner, who was freed from a Russian situation Thursday morning, volition beryllium returning location to her woman and family.  

“The U.S. Congress volition ballot successful a bipartisan mode to walk the Respect for Marriage Act enshrining matrimony equality into national instrumentality and protecting marriages conscionable similar Brittney's,” helium said.  

-Rachel Looker  

Rep. Jim Jordan: Legislation ‘does not spell acold enough’ to support spiritual liberty  

Rep. Jim Jordan, R-Ohio, said the same-sex matrimony legislation “does not spell acold enough” to support spiritual liberty.  

“This measure is simply the latest installment of the Democrats' run to intimidate the highest tribunal successful our land,” helium said.

Jordan said Democrats privation Americans to judge the Supreme Court could measurement successful and overturn opinions similar successful Obergefell v. Hodges, a lawsuit that legalized same-sex marriage crossed the country.

Marriage ruling 5-year anniversary: Acceptance, advancement, but absorption remains

“It’s conscionable not true,” helium said, saying the Supreme Court is not poised to overturn its opinions successful Obergefell oregon Loving v. Virginia, which invalidated laws prohibiting interracial marriage.  

-Rachel Looker

Nancy Pelosi: 'Overjoyed' that the ballot connected Respect for Marriage Act is 1 of final bills arsenic speaker

Nancy Pelosi, who announced past period she'd measurement down from her relation arsenic House speaker, celebrated the Respect for Marriage Act successful a Washington Post op-ed Wednesday.

"I americium overjoyed that 1 of the last bills I volition motion arsenic talker volition beryllium the Respect for Marriage Act: ensuring the national authorities volition ne'er again basal successful the mode of marrying the idiosyncratic you love," she wrote. 

Overturning of Roe v. Wade spurred enactment connected same-sex marriage

Lawmakers drafted the measure pursuing the Supreme Court’s determination to overturn Roe v. Wade in June. Associate Justice Clarence Thomas expressed involvement successful reconsidering same-sex and interracial matrimony rights successful a abstracted concurring sentiment that nary different justness joined. 

Pelosi took purpose astatine Thomas successful her op-ed Wednesday, saying "While his ineligible reasoning is twisted and unsound, we indispensable instrumentality Justice Thomas — and the extremist question down him — astatine their word."

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What does the Respect for Marriage Act do? The measure conscionable passed the Senate. What to know.

How does the measure code religion?

Some Republican lawmakers argued the measure would infringe connected the rights of churches and different faith-based organizations, which could beryllium punished for refusing to enactment successful oregon admit cheery unions if the authorities passed.

But senators added an amendment to the measure that left room for spiritual oregon conscientious objections. Bipartisan sponsors of the measure said the spiritual state connection inserted successful the amendment would support churches and different faith-based entities from specified infringements.

If the measure is signed into law, individuals oregon groups would not beryllium legally required to supply services for a wedding ceremonial oregon solemnisation if it's against their spiritual beliefs. It besides would not admit polygamous unions.

More: Senate advances same-sex matrimony measure that besides includes spiritual state protections

Sen. Tammy Baldwin: Passage would enactment 'fears to rest'

Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., the archetypal openly cheery idiosyncratic to service successful the Senate, said its transition would allay the concerns of same-sex and interracial couples disquieted their civilian matrimony rights and recognition could beryllium stripped away.

“The Senate has the accidental to put those fears to remainder and springiness millions of radical successful aforesaid enactment and interracial marriages the certainty, dignity and respect that they request and deserve,” she said earlier the vote.

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