Us House Passes Same Sex Marriage Bill In Response To Supreme Court

In a powerful but one-sided debate, Democrats have argued strongly and often personally in favor of enshrining marriage equality in federal law, while Republicans have avoided openly rejecting same-sex marriage.  Instead, top Republicans have portrayed the bill as unnecessary amid other issues facing the nation.
Tuesday’s election-year roll call, 267-157, was partly political strategy, forcing all members of the House, Republican and Democrat, to move on the record.  It also reflects the legislative arm fighting back against an aggressive court that has raised questions about reviewing other seemingly well-established US laws.
Wary of the political ramifications, GOP leaders did not pressure their members to maintain the party line against the bill, aides said.  In all, 47 Republicans joined all Democrats in voting for the passage.
“For me, this is personal,” said Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y., who said he was among the openly gay members of the House.
“Imagine telling the next generation of Americans, my generation, that we no longer have the right to marry who we love,” he said.  “Congress cannot allow this to happen.”
While the Respect for Marriage Act easily passed the Democratic-majority House, it is likely to stall in the evenly divided Senate, where most Republicans would likely join a philosophy to block it.  It is one of several bills, including those enshrining access to abortion, that Democrats are proposing to counter the court’s conservative majority.  Another bill, guaranteeing access to contraceptive services, will come up for a vote later this week.
House GOP leaders were divided on the issue, with Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Whip Rep. Steve Scalise voting against the marriage rights bill, but No. 3 Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York voting in favor. .
In a notable silence, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell declined to comment on the bill, leaving open the question of how vigorously his party would fight it if it were to vote in the upper chamber.
Key Republicans in the House have swung in recent years on the same-sex marriage issue, including Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who joined those who voted in favor Tuesday.
Another Republican, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, said in a yes statement: “If gay couples want to be as happily or miserably married as straight couples, more power to them.”
Polls show a majority of Americans favor maintaining marriage rights, regardless of sex, gender, race or nationality, a long-standing shift in modern mores toward inclusion.
A Gallup poll in June showed broad and growing support for same-sex marriage, with 70 and Republicans (55 percent).
Approval of interracial marriage in the US hit a six-decade high of 94% in September, according to Gallup.
Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, several lawmakers joined protesters demonstrating against the abortion ruling outside the Supreme Court, which sits across from the Capitol and remains cordoned off for security during tumultuous political times.  Capitol Police said 16 members of Congress were among those arrested.
“The far-right majority on the Supreme Court has set our country on a dangerous path,” said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., in a speech that set Tuesday’s debate in motion.
“It’s time for our colleagues across the aisle to stand up and be counted.  Will they vote to protect these fundamental freedoms?  Or will they vote to let the states take away those freedoms?”
But Republicans insisted the court focused only on abortion access in June when it overturned the nearly 50-year-old Roe v. Wade decision, and argued same-sex marriage and other rights were not threatened.
In fact, almost none of the Republicans who rose to speak during the debate directly addressed the issue of same-sex or interracial marriage.
“We’re here for a political parody, we’re here for political messages,” said Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee.
The same tack could be expected in the Senate.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said, “The allegation of this is just wrong.  I don’t think the Supreme Court is going to overturn any of that.”
As several Democrats spoke about inequities they said they or their loved ones had faced in same-sex marriage, Republicans spoke about rising gas prices, inflation and crime, including recent threats to justice in connection with the ruling on abortions.
For congressional Republicans, the confirmation of the conservative justice to the Trump-era Supreme Court fulfilled a long-term GOP goal of revisiting many social, environmental and regulatory issues that the party has been unable to address alone by passing bills that could be signed into law .
The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal a Clinton-era law that defines marriage as a heterosexual relationship between a man and a woman.  It would also provide legal protections for interracial marriages by prohibiting any state from denying marriage licenses and out-of-state benefits based on sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.
The 1996 law, the Defense of Marriage Act, had been effectively sidelined by Obama-era court decisions, including Obergefell v. Hodges, which established the rights of same-sex couples to marry nationwide, a landmark case for gay rights.
But last month, writing for the majority in overturning Roe v. Wade, Justice Samuel Alito argued for a narrower interpretation of the rights guaranteed to Americans, noting that the right to abortion is not defined in the Constitution.
In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas went further, saying other decisions similar to Roe, including those involving same-sex marriage and couples’ right to use contraception, should be reconsidered.
While Alito insisted on the majority view that “this decision is about the constitutional right to abortion and no other right,” others have taken it on board.
“The MAGA radicals who dominate the Republican Party have made it clear that they are not satisfied with the repeal of Roe,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said, referring to Trump’s supporters.
He pointed to comments by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who said over the weekend that the Supreme Court’s ruling protecting marriage equality was “clearly wrong” and state legislatures should revisit the issue.
But Schumer did not commit to holding a vote on the marriage bill.
Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report.

title: “Us House Passes Same Sex Marriage Bill In Response To Supreme Court " ShowToc: true date: “2022-10-27” author: “Johnnie Roberge”

WASHINGTON (AP) – The U.S. House overwhelmingly approved legislation Tuesday to protect same-sex and interracial marriages, amid concerns that the Supreme Court’s decision to overturn Roe v. Wade abortion access could jeopardize other rights criticized by many conservatives.
In a powerful but one-sided debate, Democrats have argued strongly and often personally in favor of enshrining marriage equality in federal law, while Republicans have avoided openly rejecting same-sex marriage.  Instead, top Republicans have portrayed the bill as unnecessary amid other issues facing the nation.
Tuesday’s election-year roll call, 267-157, was partly a political strategy, forcing all members of the House, Republican and Democrat, to move on the record.  It also reflects the legislative arm fighting back against an aggressive court that has raised questions about reviewing other apparently well-established US laws.
Wary of the political ramifications, GOP leaders did not pressure their members to maintain the party line against the bill, aides said.  In all, 47 Republicans joined all Democrats in voting for the passage.
“For me, this is personal,” said Rep. Mondaire Jones, D-N.Y., who said he was among the openly gay members of the House.
“Imagine telling the next generation of Americans, my generation, that we no longer have the right to marry who we love,” he said.  “Congress cannot allow this to happen.”
While the Respect for Marriage Act easily passed the Democratic-majority House, it is likely to stall in the evenly divided Senate, where most Republicans would likely join a philosophy to block it.  It is one of several bills, including those enshrining access to abortion, that Democrats are proposing to counter the court’s conservative majority.  Another bill, guaranteeing access to contraceptive services, is due to be voted on later this week.
House GOP leaders were divided on the issue, with Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy and Whip Rep. Steve Scalise voting against the marriage rights bill, but No. 3 Republican Rep. Elise Stefanik of New York voting in favor. .
In a notable silence, Senate Republican Leader Mitch McConnell declined to comment on the bill, leaving open the question of how vigorously his party would fight it if it were to vote in the upper chamber.
Key Republicans in the House have shifted in recent years on the issue of same-sex marriage, including Rep. Liz Cheney of Wyoming, who joined those who voted in favor on Tuesday.
Another Republican, Rep. Nancy Mace of South Carolina, said in a yes statement: “If gay couples want to be as happily or miserably married as straight couples, more power to them.”
Polls show a majority of Americans favor maintaining marriage rights, regardless of sex, gender, race or nationality, a long-standing shift in modern mores toward inclusion.
A Gallup poll in June showed broad and growing support for same-sex marriage, with 70% of US adults saying they believe such unions should be recognized by law as valid.  The poll showed majority support from both Democrats (83%) and Republicans (55%).
Approval of interracial marriage in the US hit a six-decade high of 94% in September, according to Gallup.
Ahead of Tuesday’s vote, several lawmakers joined protesters demonstrating against the abortion ruling outside the Supreme Court, which sits across from the Capitol and remains cordoned off for security during tumultuous political times.  Capitol Police said 16 members of Congress were among those arrested.
“The far-right majority on the Supreme Court has set our country on a dangerous path,” said Rep. Mary Gay Scanlon, D-Pa., in a speech that set Tuesday’s debate in motion.
“It’s time for our colleagues across the aisle to stand up and be counted.  Will they vote to protect these fundamental freedoms?  Or will they vote to let the states take away those freedoms?”
But Republicans insisted the court focused only on abortion access in June when it overturned the nearly 50-year-old Roe v. Wade decision, and argued same-sex marriage and other rights were not threatened.
In fact, almost none of the Republicans who rose to speak during the debate directly addressed the issue of same-sex or interracial marriage.
“We’re here for a political parody, we’re here for political messages,” said Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio, the top Republican on the Judiciary Committee.
The same tack could be expected in the Senate.
Sen. Josh Hawley, R-Mo., said, “The allegation of this is just wrong.  I don’t think the Supreme Court is going to overturn any of that.”
As several Democrats spoke about inequities they said they or their loved ones had faced in same-sex marriage, Republicans spoke about rising gas prices, inflation and crime, including recent threats to justice in connection with the ruling on abortions.
For congressional Republicans, the confirmation of the conservative justice to the Trump-era Supreme Court fulfilled a long-term GOP goal of revisiting many social, environmental and regulatory issues that the party has been unable to address alone by passing bills that could be signed into law .
The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal a Clinton-era law that defines marriage as a heterosexual relationship between a man and a woman.  It would also provide legal protections for interracial marriages by prohibiting any state from denying marriage licenses and out-of-state benefits based on sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.
The 1996 law, the Defense of Marriage Act, had been effectively sidelined by Obama-era court decisions, including Obergefell v. Hodges, which established the rights of same-sex couples to marry nationwide, a landmark case for gay rights.
But last month, writing for the majority in overturning Roe v. Wade, Justice Samuel Alito argued for a narrower interpretation of the rights guaranteed to Americans, noting that the right to abortion is not defined in the Constitution.
In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas went further, saying other decisions similar to Roe, including those involving same-sex marriage and couples’ right to use contraception, should be reconsidered.
While Alito insisted on the majority view that “this decision is about the constitutional right to abortion and no other right,” others have taken it on board.
“The MAGA radicals who dominate the Republican Party have made it clear that they are not satisfied with the repeal of Roe,” Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y., said, referring to Trump’s supporters.
He pointed to comments by Sen. Ted Cruz, R-Texas, who said over the weekend that the Supreme Court’s ruling protecting marriage equality was “clearly wrong” and state legislatures should revisit the issue.
But Schumer did not commit to holding a vote on the marriage bill.
Associated Press writers Farnoush Amiri and Hannah Fingerhut contributed to this report.