The House passed the Respect for Marriage Act with a vote of 258-169 days. The “landmark legislation” will go to President Biden, which he is expected to sign into law.
The bill will require the “federal government recognizes marriages regardless of sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin, and guarantees full benefits to all marriages performed validly,” according to Causes.com.
“Today, Congress sends the Respect for Marriage Act to the president’s desk, a glorious triumph of love and freedom,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.), said. “This legislation honors that magic, protecting it from bigoted extremism, defending the inviolability of the same-sex and interracial marriages.”
While the House passed an earlier version of the Respect for Marriage Act, a bipartisan amendment to the bill clarifies that the federal government will not recognize polygamous marriages and religious organizations are not required to provide “any services, facilities, or goods for the solemnization or celebration of a marriage.”
The Senate already passed the amended bill with a 61-36 vote, The Washington Post reported.
“The House’s bipartisan passage of the Respect for Marriage Act—by a significant margin—will give peace of mind to millions of LGBTQI+ and interracial couples who are now guaranteed the rights and protections to which they and their children are entitled,” Biden said.
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