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US Senate paves the way to protect same-sex marriage

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  • US Senate paves the way to protect same-sex marriage.
  • The bill cleared an important procedural hurdle.
  • A total of 62 senators supported beginning debate on the proposal.

Respect for Marriage Act. The United States Senate on Wednesday approved a procedural vote to start debate on a legislative initiative to protect same-sex and interracial marriage at the federal level. A total of 62 senators, all Democrats plus twelve Republicans supported the start of the debate on that proposal. Thirty-seven conservative Republicans opposed the measure.

The legislation would recognize same-sex and interracial marriage on the federal level, meaning all states must recognize these unions. The bill does not require all states to legalize same-sex marriage, according to The Associated Press.

Advocacy for same-sex marriage gained momentum

Advocacy for gay marriage gained momentum
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The Respect for Marriage Act reached the Senate after the lower house approved the legislation in July. In the Senate, the progress of the initiative has been delayed by the demands of conservative legislators who want to clarify whether the proposal would infringe upon religious freedom. The promoters of the draft wanted it to be approved on Thursday, but all 100 Senators must support it for it to proceed that quickly.

The mobilization around the defense of same-sex marriage gained momentum after the Supreme Court, with a conservative majority, overturned Roe v. Wade on June 24, severely weakening reproductive rights. ( Filed Under: Respect for Marriage Act)

This isn’t the final step

It would not be the final step
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Since then, a large number of activists and progressive politicians have warned of the possibility of the court doing the same with other rights, such as same-sex marriage. If approved in the Senate, this would not be the final step, because from there the bill will return to the House of Representatives for final approval on a date yet to be determined, sources from the Chamber explained to EFE.

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the bill ensuring unions are legally recognized under the law is an opportunity for the Senate to «live up to its highest ideals» and protect equality for everyone. (Filed Under: Respect for marriage act)

«It will make our country a better place»

Gay marriage: “It will make our country a better place"
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“It will make our country a better and fairer place to live,” Schumer said, noting that his own daughter and her wife are expecting a baby next year. Senate Democrats are moving quickly to pass the bill while the party still controls the House. Republicans won a majority in the House on Wednesday and are unlikely to take up the issue next year.

In a statement after the vote, President Joe Biden said he will sign the bill once it passes: «Love is love, and Americans should have the right to marry the person they love,» Biden said. The bill has gained steady momentum since the Supreme Court’s June decision that struck down Roe v. Wade. An opinion at the time by Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that an earlier high court decision protecting same-sex marriage could also be threatened (Filed Under: Respect for marriage act)

The Respect for Marriage Act would also protect interracial marriage

Respect for marriage act.
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The legislation would repeal the Clinton-era Defense of Marriage Act and require states to recognize all marriages that were legal where they were performed. The new Respect for Marriage Act would also protect interracial marriages by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of «sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin».

Congress has been moving to protect gay marriage as support from the public in general, and Republicans in particular, has grown considerably in recent years. With Obergefell v. Hodges in 2015, the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage nationwide. Recent polls have found that more than two-thirds of the public support same-sex unions (Filed Under: Respect for marriage act) With information from EFE and The Associated Press.

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