With one Supreme Court justice openly targeting Obergefell, the 2015 ruling that Federally guaranteed the right to same-sex marriage, the U.S. House of Representatives yesterday codified it as national law by passing the Respect for Marriage Act. The vote was 267-157, with 47 Republicans joining the Democrats—an unusually lopsided outcome, but one that nonetheless shows most House Republicans going on the record against gay marriage.
The law moves now to the Senate, where Dems will have to get 10 Republicans on-side or hope no-one filibusters it. 10 is a tall order, and Ted Cruz (R-Texas) is among GOP Senators eager to be seen opposing gay rights legislation.
In addition to safeguarding the right to same-sex marriage nationwide, the bill also includes federal protections for interracial marriages. The measure holds that a marriage must be recognized under federal law if the marriage was legal in the state where it took place.
The bill would also enact additional legal safeguards for married couples intended to prevent discrimination on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity or national origin, including empowering the attorney general to pursue enforcement actions.