The United States Senate voted this Wednesday in favor of a bill that seeks to protect equal and interracial marriage at the federal level.
The Respect Marriage Act would not require states to issue same-sex or interracial marriage certificates but would require them to recognize marriages performed elsewhere.
It would also recognize these unions under federal law for obtaining benefits like Medicare and Social Security.
The bill received 50 votes from the Democrats and 12 from the Republicans, which exceeded the 60 votes necessary for its approval.
The urgency to ensure marriage equality rights arose after the Supreme Court reversed Roe v. Wade, which guaranteed the right to the legal termination of pregnancy throughout the country.
The House passed a version of this bill a few months ago, but Senate Democrats delayed introducing the bill until after the midterms, hoping to secure the necessary Republican support.
The respect-marriage bill will have to spend more time in the Senate before returning to the House of Representatives for final approval and then to the president’s desk.
[…] A bill that seeks to protect equal marriage advances in the United States […]