Hip Hip Hooray!! A same-sex marriage bill is close to becoming the official law of the land.
Gay Rights:
On June 26, 2015, the US Supreme Court struck down all state bans on same-sex marriage, allowing Americans to marry whomever they chose. Since then, however, a bigoted Republican Party and ultra-conservative/political/evangelical Supreme Court vowed to put an end to “gay” marriage. Now, President Biden and the Democrats are preparing to protect marriage for everyone once and for all with a new same-sex marriage bill that’s ‘thisclose’ to becoming law.
On Tuesday, the US Senate passed landmark legislation mandating federal recognition for same-sex marriages. This comes after Republican Party officials counted their chickens before they hatched and assumed a “Republican Wave” in the 2022 election would hand them control of the House and Senate (and a way to discriminate via personal religious beliefs). This also comes after conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas took a victory lap for ending Roe v. Wade and bragged that same-sex marriage was next on his hit list.
Thankfully, both were wrong!
The 61-to-36 vote is now headed to the House of Representatives where it is expected to be approved. It will then head to President Biden who has already vowed to sign it ASAP.
“Because of our work together, the rights of tens of millions of Americans will be strengthened under federal law,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer of New York said of the bipartisan same-sex marriage bill. “That’s an accomplishment we should all be proud of.”
“For the sake of our nation today and its survival, we do well by taking this step,” Republican Sen. Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming said following an emotional speech about the need for more tolerance in what she described as “turbulent times for our nation.”
The new same-sex marriage bill was designed to repeal the current Defense of Marriage Act, which denied federal benefits to same-sex couples. The new bill will prohibit states from denying the validity of out-of-state marriages based on sex, race, or ethnicity. However, in a compromise that Republican backers insisted upon, the bill guarantees that religious organizations not be required to provide any goods or services for the celebration of same-sex marriages. The bill also protects them from losing tax-exempt status or other benefits for refusing to recognize gay and lesbian unions.
The fact that a bipartisan bill was successfully passed as a means to end discrimination against a segment of society is indeed a miracle. The fact that it silenced bigoted politicians and Supreme Court justices is cause for celebration.
“Love is love, and Americans should have the right to marry the person they love,” President Biden said following the affirmative vote.
OK WASSUP! discusses Gay Rights:
Same-sex marriage bill celebrated.
CNN: The Senate on Tuesday passed legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriage, called the Respect for Marriage Act, in a landmark bipartisan vote. The final vote was 61-36. The bill was supported by all members of the Democratic caucus and 12 Republicans, the same dozen GOP members who backed the bill for a procedural vote earlier this month. The House will now need to approve the legislation before sending it to President Joe Biden’s desk to be signed into law. The House is expected to pass the bill before the end of the year – possibly as soon as next week. “For millions of Americans, this legislation will safeguard the rights and protections to which LGBTQI+ and interracial couples and their children are entitled,” Biden said in a statement Tuesday evening after Senate passage, hailing it as a “bipartisan achievement.” While the bill would not set a national requirement… Read more »