After clearing the most daunting hurdle — the US Senate — the Respect for Marriage Act has again passed the House of Representatives, paving the way for a final signature from President Joe Biden.
House lawmakers voted 258-169 on December 8 to pass the bill, which solidifies protections for queer and interracial married couples. It would not force any state to perform marriages, but it would require states to recognize marriages that have been legally performed. The Defense of Marriage Act, the law that limited the federal government’s recognition of marriage to one man and one woman, would also be repealed even though it has been rendered void by the courts.
