The Respect for Marriage Act establishes federal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages.
He said that today was a good day. America takes a vital step towards equality, liberty and justice, not just for some but for everyone. To create a country where decency, dignity and love are respected and protected.
Hundreds of enthusiastic guests, musical performances and remarks from the Vice President, Senate Majority Leader and House Speaker were part of the South Lawn ceremony. At a press conference earlier in the day, singer Cyndi Lauper said, "Bless Joe Biden and all the people that worked on this for allowing people not to worry and their children not to worry about their future."
The bipartisan effort in Congress and the decades of legal battles from couples fighting for marriage equality were praised by Biden.
Biden said, "My fellow Americans, the road to this moment has been long, but those who believed in equality and justice, you never gave up, many of you are standing on the South White House here." Many of you put your lives on the line to fight for the law I am about to sign. Thank you, thank you, thank you.
The bill was pushed because of fears that the Supreme Court could overturn the Obergefell decision. Same-sex marriage would be allowed to be decided by individual states if Obergefell were to fall.
The law requires a state to recognize a union that occurred in another state if it allows same-sex marriages. Every state will have to recognize legal marriages regardless of sex, race, ethnicity or national origin under the new law.
A provision of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that allowed states to discriminate against same-sex couples has been repealed. Part of religious freedom language used to court the necessary Republican votes in the Senate allows individual churches to refuse to host same-sex weddings.
Jim Obergefell told CNN that he was not celebrating.
I am happy that at least something has been done, something that we will have to fall back on if the Supreme Court overturns Obergefell in the future. Same-sex couples would once again be denied marriage licenses if the act is passed.
The fight is not over and the need for the Equality Act, which would expand federal civil rights protections from discrimination in areas like housing and employment to the lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer community, is still needed, according to Biden.
When a person is thrown out of a restaurant for being gay in the afternoon, this is still wrong. People are still fighting to pass the Equality Act. We have to speak out when hospitals, libraries and community centers are threatened because of their support of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and queer community.
The Senate passed the Respect for Marriage Act at the end of the month. The Democratic legislators in both chambers voted in favor.
Schumer said the wait was worth it when the bill passed the Senate last month.
Enthusiasm for codifying protections for same-sex marriages increased this summer after the Supreme Court legalized same-sex marriage. The court's positions on gay marriage and contraceptives should be reconsidered according to Justice Clarence Thomas. Republicans across the country have increased their anti-gay rhetoric, while law enforcement has warned of potential threats to the LGBTQ community. During his speech Tuesday afternoon, the president mentioned both Thomas's opinion and the wave of legislation targeting trans youth.
Biden continues to evolve as a person after signing the bill. In 1996, he voted for the Defense of Marriage Act, but in 2012 he publicly supported same-sex marriage, saying, "I am absolutely comfortable with the fact that men marrying men, women marrying women and heterosexual men and women marrying one Another are entitled."
Biden called Baldwin a real hero for her work to negotiate the legislation. Barney Frank was the first congressman to come out as gay after the bill passed the house.
Tammy understood that resolving the fears of same-sex married couples was more important than the politics of the day. She was proven correct. I hope people will see this as an example of responsible legislating, not being panicked by people who have more emotion than intelligence. Tammy shepherding this bill through was one of the greatest legislative achievements I have ever seen.
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