After overwhelmingly passing the U.S. House of Representatives in July, the Respect for Marriage Act – which aims to protect same-sex marriage and interracial marriage – is now pending in the Senate and is expected to be voted on in September.
This pending legislation comes in reaction to the Supreme Court decision in June to overturn Roe v. Wade, the court decision that made abortions legal in all 50 states. There’s been talk of the Supreme Court looking to overturn same-sex marriage and interracial marriage next, which is why the Respect for Marriage Act is vital.
Some Republicans in the Senate have indicated they will vote for the bill. The Associated Press reports that “Democrats need 10 GOP votes to overcome a filibuster and get the legislation through the 50-50 Senate.”