On Tuesday, President Joe Biden signed legislation defending interracial and same-sex unions.
On the South Lawn of the White House, hundreds of people gathered to mark the passing of the Respect for Marriage Act.
As he stepped up to the podium behind Vice President Kamala Harris, Biden declared, "Today is a good day." "On this day, America makes a significant advancement toward justice and equality for all people—not just some. toward building a country where morality, honor, and love are valued and upheld."
The president said, "We're here today to salute their heroism and everyone who helped make the day possible. "Courage that led to the advancement through the years, advancement that gives us hope that each generation will continue on our path to a more perfect union."
The ceremony included performances from Grammy winners Sam Smith and Cyndi Lauper. Smith, who announced they were non-binary in 2019, performed their hit song "Stay With Me" followed by Lauper singing "True Colors."
Appearing in the White House briefing room ahead of her performance, Lauper told reporters, "We can rest easy tonight because our families are validated."
"And because now we're allowed to love who we love, which sounds odd to say. But Americans can now love who we love and 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," Lauper said. Lauper founded the True Colors Fund, a nonprofit that educates people on LGBTQ issues and helps to end homelessness for LGBTQ youth.
According to a White House representative, notable attendees at the signing ceremony included Club Q founder Matthew Haynes and two survivors of the shooting that took place just last month at the LGBTQ nightclub in Colorado Springs. A survivor of the 2016 Pulse nightclub shooting, which left 49 people dead, as well as plaintiffs and counselors from the Obergefell and Loving Supreme Court cases were also there.
After months of negotiations, particularly over clauses relating to religion, the historic marriage bill was approved by both chambers of Congress with bipartisan support.
After the Senate approved it 61-36, the House voted last week 258-169 to send the bill to Biden. Republicans who voted in both cases joined the majority of Democrats.
The first openly homosexual senator, Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, helped the bill pass through Congress. The bill "will protect the hard-won progress we've made on marriage equality," according to Baldwin.
After the Supreme Court's Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization ruling, in which five conservative justices ruled to overturn Roe v. Wade and the constitutional right of access to abortion, it became a top concern for Democrats.
In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas expressed his opinion that the court should revisit earlier decisions based on related legal concepts, such as Obergefell v. Hodges from 2015, which determined that the 14th Amendment mandates all states to grant same-sex marriage licenses.
The Respect for Marriage Act will demand that individual states recognize same-sex and interracial weddings that were legally performed in another state but does not include Obergefell's federal requirement.
Republicans who supported it in Congress made note of extra wording regarding the protection of religious organizations that continue to oppose same-sex marriage.
However, detractors like Utah senator Mike Lee claimed it didn't go far enough.
On the subject of same-sex marriage, Biden has long been vocal. In 2012, he famously announced his support for the practice before then-President Barack Obama.
In an interview with NBC's "Meet the Press" at the time, Biden stated, "I am perfectly comfortable with the concept that men marrying men, women marrying women, and heterosexual men and women marrying one another are entitled to the same exact privileges, all the civil rights, all the civic liberties."
"Who do you cherish? Who do you love, and will you be devoted to them?" Then, Biden remarked. "And that's what people are learning, what marriages are really about at their core,"
Audio of Biden's "Meet the Press" interview from 2012 was played at the signing ceremony after Lauper ended her performance. At the law signing on Tuesday, commemorative objects that reference Biden's statements from ten years ago proclaiming his support for gay marriage will be given out, according to a White House official.
Tuesday's ceremony was opened by Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer and House Speaker Nancy Pelosi. Schumer hailed the law as a "essential step forward" on the road to equality.
Pelosi, who is leaving her position as Democratic leader, expressed her "happiness" that this is one of the last bills she will sign as speaker and broke down in tears when the law was approved by the house.
"Respect is at stake here. It's time for the federal government to take pleasure in itself on this matter "Tuesday was Pelosi's day.
This material was provided to by Molly Nagle of ABC News.
[zombify_post]
0 Comments