FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Kevin McGuire
(202)-538-2836
WASHINGTON, D.C.: Today, Congresswoman Nanette Diaz Barragán (CA-44) voted again to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, sending the bill to President Biden’s desk. Last month, the Senate voted to pass the bill 61 to 36 with bipartisan support.
“When the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in his concurring opinion that the Court should reconsider other landmark decisions, calling into question other fundamental and Constitutional rights Americans have relied on for decades,” said Rep. Barragán. “I am proud to say that Congress acted to provide crucial safeguards for same-sex and interracial couples. Everyone deserves the right to live freely, love who they love, and marry the person they want to marry. There was bi-partisan support in Congress and overwhelming support among the American people to protect the right to marry who you love –demonstrating that Americans across the country stand against attempts to take away our rights and refuse to turn back the clock on marriage equality.”
The Respect for Marriage Act will take several steps to protect the inviolability of same-sex and interracial marriages:
- Repealing the “Defense of Marriage Act”: While the Supreme Court has effectively voided DOMA, this unconstitutional and discriminatory federal law still remains on the books. The Respect for Marriage Act will repeal this statute once and for all.
- Enshrining Marriage Equality Into Federal Law: This legislation will uphold married couples’ right to equal protection in all areas covered under federal law, such as Social Security, tax filings and veterans’ benefits.
- Barring Discrimination By State Officials: This legislation prohibits state officials from denying recognition of an out-of-state marriage on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.
The Respect for Marriage Act is strongly supported by leading advocacy organizations, including the ACLU, Center for American Progress, Equality Federation, Family Equality, Freedom for All Americans, GLAD, Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Women’s Law Center and PFLAG.
Full text of the bill can be found here.
###
Nanette Diaz Barragán is proud to represent California’s 44th Congressional District, which includes the communities of Carson, Compton, Florence-Firestone, Lynwood, North Long Beach, Rancho Dominguez, San Pedro, South Gate, Walnut Park, Watts, Willowbrook and Wilmington. She serves as chairwoman of the House Homeland Security Committee’s Subcommittee on Border Security, and on the House Energy and Commerce Health, Energy, and Environment & Climate Change Subcommittees.