President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act on Tuesday. The bipartisan legislation codifies same-sex and interracial marriage in federal law. It’s a big day for advocates, but the bill’s protections are still limited. It doesn’t guarantee the right to marry, but it does mandate individual states recognize same-sex marriages across state lines and ensures same-sex couples are entitled to the same federal benefits as other married couples.
The bill became a priority for Democrats after the U.S. Supreme Court’s June decision overturning Roe v. Wade, which had protected the right to abortion access. The high court hinted at reconsidering LGBTQ rights. The law signed by the president Tuesday stops short of preventing same-sex marriages from becoming illegal again in states that might oppose them.
Still, the Respect for Marriage Act marks the shifting views of both the public and politicians. In 2004, a Gallup poll found just 19% of Republicans supported same-sex marriage. Today that number stands at 43%. The NPR/PBS NewsHour/Marist poll out this week finds the majority of U.S. adults support same-sex marriage.
On the White House South Lawn Tuesday, Biden was joined by lawmakers and LGBTQ advocates, including some from New Jersey, hailing the signing as a step toward a “more perfect union.”
“Today’s a good day, a day America takes a vital step toward equality, toward liberty and justice, not just for some, but for everyone … toward creating a nation where decency, dignity and love are honored and protected. Today I signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law,” said Biden.
