WASHINGTON – Today, Congresswoman Ayanna Pressley (MA-07) issued a statement following the House’s passage of the Respect for Marriage Act:

“Everyone should have the freedom to marry who they love—period. By passing the Respect for Marriage Act and sending it to President Biden’s desk, the People’s House took an important step forward in reaffirming that love is love,” said Rep. Pressley. “I’m grateful to the advocates who have organized to make today possible, and I won’t stop fighting to codify true equality for our LGBTQ+ siblings in our policies and budgets.”

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.

Previously passed by the House earlier this year, the Respect for Marriage Act was amended and advanced by the Senate last week. With today’s vote in the House, the final bill now heads to the President’s desk for his signature. 

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, GLAAD, Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Women’s Law Center and PFLAG.

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