House passes bill to protect same-sex marriage, sending it to Biden's desk - NBC News

WASHINGTON — The House passed authorities Thursday that enshrines national protections for marriages of same-sex and interracial couples.

The ballot of 258-169 sends the Respect for Marriage Act to President Joe Biden, who praised Congress for passing the measure and is expected to motion it into law. It comes after the Senate passed the aforesaid bill past week by a ballot of 61-36.

Democrats were unified successful favour of the bill, portion astir Republicans successful some chambers voted against it. Thirty-nine House Republicans supported the authorities Thursday and 1 voted present. 

“Your emotion is your choice,” House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer, D-Md., said connected the level Thursday, saying determination is “no reason” to judge that Republican appointees connected the Supreme Court won’t privation to revisit precedents connected LGBTQ rights aft overturning Roe v. Wade. “The pursuit of happiness means you tin emotion whom you choose.”

“I americium shocked that conservatives that person a libertarian bent judge that someway we ought to get progressive successful this,” helium said. “It’s not the government’s business.”

Rebekah Monson, left, and Andrea Vigil, enactment successful a wedding ceremonial astatine the matrimony licence bureau successful Miami, connected Jan. 6, 2015.Wilfredo Lee / AP file

The authorities — led by Sen. Tammy Baldwin, D-Wis., the archetypal openly cheery idiosyncratic elected to the Senate — would guarantee that the national authorities recognizes marriages that were validly performed and warrant afloat benefits “regardless of the couple’s sex, race, ethnicity, oregon nationalist origin.” It would not, however, necessitate states to contented matrimony licenses contrary to authorities law.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi was contiguous to gavel down the ballot and denote the bill's passage. Loud applause broke retired connected the Democratic broadside of the chamber, portion a fewer Republicans joined successful clapping.

The measure was amended successful effect to Senate GOP demands. It clarified that spiritual organizations won’t beryllium required to execute same-sex marriages and that authorities volition not beryllium forced to support polygamous marriages.

The revisions to the measure meant the House had to ballot again aft passing an earlier version successful July.

Former Rep. Barney Frank, D-Mass., the archetypal openly cheery subordinate of Congress, attended the ballot successful the Capitol.

“It’s a motion of tremendous governmental alteration successful America,” helium told NBC News. “And it’s meaningful for people. It’s real. It’s not a symbolic gesture. I cognize a batch of joined cheery and lesbian radical who person been disquieted ever since Clarence Thomas said what helium said. So this is reassurance to them arsenic well.”

Passage of the authorities comes amid fears that the blimpish Supreme Court bulk mightiness revisit the close to same-sex matrimony aft it rescinded the close to an abortion. It reflects the rapidly increasing U.S. nationalist enactment for ineligible same-sex marriage, which deed a caller precocious of 71% successful June, according to Gallup tracking polls — up from 27% successful 1996.

“After the uncertainty caused by the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, Congress has restored a measurement of information to millions of marriages and families," Biden said successful a statement. "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."

The president besides thanked members of some parties who championed the bill, saying, "We showed that it’s imaginable for Democrats and Republicans to travel unneurotic to safeguard our astir cardinal rights."

In the Senate, 12 Republicans voted with unanimous Democrats to walk the bill, which sent it backmost to the House. The GOP proponents made up an eclectic group, including retiring Sens. Rob Portman of Ohio, Roy Blunt of Missouri and Richard Burr of North Carolina; centrist deal-makers similar Sens. Mitt Romney of Utah, Susan Collins of Maine, Lisa Murkowski of Alaska and Thom Tillis of North Carolina; a enactment subordinate successful Sen. Joni Ernst of Iowa; and blimpish Sens. Todd Young of Indiana, Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia, Dan Sullivan of Alaska and Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming.

In the House, less Republicans voted for the measure connected Thursday than supported the earlier version. Seven GOP members who voted yes successful July opposed Thursday's bill: Reps. Cliff Bentz, of Oregon; Mario Diaz Balart, Brian Mast and Maria Salazar, of Florida; Dan Meuser and Scott Perry, of Pennsylvania; and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey. Another, Burgess Owens of Utah, voted "present" Thursday aft supporting the measure successful July. Two different Republicans — Reps. Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin and Jaime Herrera Beutler of Washington — moved successful the different direction, supporting the measure Thursday aft voting against the earlier version.

Frank, who attended a measure signing ceremonial with Pelosi and Senate Minority Leader Chuck Schumer Thursday reflected successful an interrogation connected the bill’s passage, 26 years aft the Defense of Marriage Act banned national designation of same-sex marriage.

“I was present for the commencement of DOMA. And this is 1 lawsuit erstwhile the ceremonial is simply a overmuch happier occasion,” helium said.