The bill, which passed the Democratic-controlled House by a vote of 267-157 with the support of 47 Republicans, establishes federal protections for same-sex marriage and prohibits anyone from denying the validity of a marriage based on the couple’s race or gender . It will now go to the Senate for a vote, where it faces unclear odds in the evenly divided chamber. House Republicans were told to vote with their conscience by party leadership, which did not oppose the bill. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register House Judiciary Committee Chairman Jerrold Nadler sponsored the bill after the federal right to abortion was overturned when the Supreme Court overturned its landmark 1973 Roe v. Wade decision. In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas said the court should also reconsider its previous decisions guaranteeing access to contraception and the 2015 right to same-sex marriage because they were based on the same legal arguments as Roe. Pride flags are used to celebrate Pride Month at the Stonewall National Monument in Christopher Park next to The Stonewall Inn in the Greenwich Village section of New York City, New York, U.S., June 23, 2021. REUTERS/Brendan McDermid read more Some congressional Republicans echoed Thomas’ arguments. Republican Sen. Ted Cruz said Saturday that the Supreme Court was “clearly wrong” to establish a federal right to same-sex marriage. Democrats have argued that Congress should enshrine the right to same-sex marriage in federal law in case the court reconsiders its previous rulings. “The rights and freedoms we have come to cherish will disappear in a cloud of radical ideology and dubious legal reasoning,” Nadler said in a statement Monday. Under the House bill, states could restrict same-sex marriage if the Supreme Court overturns its earlier ruling. But such states would have to recognize marriages that occurred in states where they remain legal. The House will vote Thursday on a bill to ensure nationwide access to contraception, another right Thomas suggested the court review. Democrats hope the bills will stand up to Republicans ahead of the Nov. 8 midterm elections, in which rising inflation challenges Democrats’ majorities in the House and Senate. Sign up now for FREE unlimited access to Reuters.com Register Report by Rose Horowitch and Moira Warburton. edited by Jonathan Oatis and Leslie Adler Our Standards: The Thomson Reuters Trust Principles.
