11/16/2022 | Press release | Distributed by Public on 11/16/2022 18:57
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Today, U.S. Senator Maria Cantwell (D-WA) joined the 62 senators who voted to advance the Respect for Marriage Act, which would provide federal recognition and protection for same-sex and interracial marriages across the country. After the vote, Sen. Cantwell delivered a speech on the Senate floor.
"These are strong protections that are long overdue. I understand some of my colleagues do not see a need for passing this legislation, but I would ask them to stand in the shoes of someone in a marriage that is in danger of being dissolved overnight by a court decision," said Sen Cantwell, who is one of 43 cosponsors of the bill. "Marriage equality has been protected under Washington state law for a decade. It has been protected by the Supreme Court for seven years, and yet here in the Senate, there are some that don't believe we need to take further protections."
"Same-sex and interracial couples deserve the assurance that their marriage will be recognized," Sen. Cantwell continued. "They need to know that they will continue to enjoy the freedom and privileges that are afforded to other couples, and we need to make sure that this is for generations to come. The American people want this legislation passed."
Congress acted to enshrine marriage equality into federal law after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade using a legal argument that could be used as precedent to challenge the right to same-sex and interracial marriage. The Supreme Court's reasoning in Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization indicated that the Court is open to reconsidering cases that determined certain fundamental rights are protected under the Equal Protection and Due Process Clauses of the Fourteenth Amendment, like marriage equality.
The Respect for Marriage Act would:
The House passed the Respect for Marriage Act in July. Today's vote was on a procedural motion to invoke cloture and advance the bill in the Senate with a bipartisan amendment; if the Senate ultimately passes the bill, the amended version will return to the House for another vote before heading to President Biden's desk.
Video of Sen. Cantwell's floor speech is available HERE; audio can be found HERE; a transcript can be found HERE.