The United States House of Representatives will soon vote on a bill to legalise and defend same-sex marriage
After the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade last month, the U.S. House of Representatives is expected to vote today to safeguard same-sex and interracial marriages.
Concerns that other liberties cherished by millions of Americans may be at risk have been raised in the wake of the Supreme Court’s contentious ruling on June 24.
This vote is part of an overall political effort to get every politician, Democrat or Republican, on the record about where they stand on this subject.
Furthermore, it sends a message that the legislature intends to assert its power in the face of a Supreme Court that appears eager to examine and overturn numerous previously enacted legislation.
While the Respect for Marriage Act has a good chance of passing the House, it is quite unlikely to make it through the Senate due to the opposition of the Republican majority there.
If it were to pass, it would nullify the last vestige of a statute that restricts marriage to unions between heterosexual men and women.
Also, it would make it illegal for any state to refuse a couple a marriage licence or other privileges on the grounds of the couple’s sexual orientation, race, or ethnicity.
Overturns of key anti-gay marriage cases during the Obama administration, such as Obergefell v. Hodges, have pushed the Defense of Marriage Act to the background, as reported by AP.
The Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, however, brought it back into the spotlight and sparked concerns that other liberties might be at risk.