Members of both houses of Congress gathered with LGBTQ advocates in the Rayburn Room at the Capitol on December 8 for a special ceremony celebrating the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act.
The gathering took place shortly after the House of Representatives approved the legislation, which enshrines protections for LGBTQ and interracial couples by requiring states to recognize existing marriages — even if the Supreme Court someday overturns Obergefell v. Hodges. The bill also repeals the Defense of Marriage Act.
The Senate passed the legislation in late November, meaning the bill now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk for his final signature — and he is eager to get it done.
