Senate passes bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriage.

Senate passes bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriage.

The Senate passed a landmark legislation to protect same-sex and interracial marriage on Tuesday.

The bill, called the Respect for Marriage Act, passed on a 61-36 vote. All 50 Senate Democrats and 12 Republicans supported the legislation.


Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), the author of the bill and first openly gay lawmaker elected to the Senate, told NBC News: “We’re making a really positive difference in people’s lives by creating the certainty that their ability to protect their families will be lasting.” 

The bill was introduced after the conservative majority on the U.S Supreme Court overturned the constitutional right to an abortion, and indicated that other liberal precedents could be next to go.


This bill requires individual states to recognize another state’s legal marriage. It does not require all states to legalize same sex marriage in the event SCOTUS overturn its 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling that legalized same-sex marriage, CNN noted.

The bill now goes to the House for a vote before it heads to President Joe Biden’s desk where he is expected to sign it.