US Congress protects marriage equality in landmark bill

The US Congress has passed landmark legislation to protect marriage equality, just over 25 years after defining marriage as the union between only one man and one woman. In a vote of 258 to 169, 39 Republicans joined every Democrat in the House to pass the Respect for Marriage Act.

The law requires federal and state governments to recognise same-sex and interracial marriages and prohibits them from denying the validity of a marriage performed in another state on the basis of sex, race or ethnicity. President Joe Biden announced he would sign the legislation “promptly and proudly”. Democratic Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, who was visibly emotional at the announcement, declared, “Not only are we on the right side of history, we’re on the right side of the future: expanding freedom in America”. Pelosi recently stepped down as House Speaker in January this year following the 2022 midterm elections.

Today, Congress took a critical step to ensure that Americans have the right to marry the person they love.

US President Joe Biden

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