The Same-Sex Marriage Bill of 2022

As of May this year, 7 in 10 Americans support same sex marriage. This idea is on its way to being legalized. On Tuesday, November 29, 2022 the Senate advanced the Respect for Marriage Act. The Respect for Marriage Act will mandate nationwide recognition of all marriages completed in a place where they are legal. While the Respect for Marriage Act will not force any states to allow same-sex couples to marry, it will revoke the Defense for Marriage Act, which denied same-sex couples federal benefits. This idea began to occupy minds after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade. The urge to vote began over the summer, following when Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that the court reconsider other precedents which preserved access to contraception and marriage equality. Most Republicans scorned this notion, arguing that it wasn’t an urgent issue. Senator Marco Rubio, a Republican of Florida, said, “I don’t know why we’re doing that bill; there’s no threat to its status in America…I know plenty of gay people in Florida that are pissed off about gas prices.” Twelve Republicans, though, joined the Democrats and two independents in voting 61-to-36 for the Respect for Marriage act. Three Senators did not vote: Ben Sasse, Republican of Nebraska, Patrick J. Toomey, Republican of Pennsylvania, and Raphael Warnock, Democrat of Georgia. The House is expected to vote next week, and President Biden looks forward to signing the Respect for Marriage Act.