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By Lauren Giella
Senior Reporter
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The U.S. House of Representatives just passed the Respect for Marriage Act (RFMA), cementing legal protections for same-sex and interracial marriages.
The bill, which passed by a vote of 258-169-1 Thursday, will recognize legal same-sex marriages across the country.
Democrats pushed for this bill to pass before they lose control of the House amid fear that the landmark 2015 Supreme Court case Obergefell v. Hodges, which legalized gay marriage, could be overturned following the Supreme Court's decision to overturn Roe v. Wade.
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Back in July, the House first voted to approve the bill 267-157. Every Democrat and 47 Republicans voted in favor of the legislation.
Today, only 39 Republicans voted in support of the RFMA.
Among them include Representatives:
- Kelly Armstrong of North Dakota
- Don Bacon of Nebraska
- Ken Calvert of California
- Kat Cammack of Florida
- Mike Carey of Ohio
- Liz Cheney of Wyoming
- John Curtis of Utah
- Rodney Davis of Illinois
- Tom Emmer of Minnesota
- Brian Fitzpatrick of Pennsylvania
- Mike Gallagher of Wisconsin
- Andrew Garbarino of New York
- Mike Garcia of California
- Carlos Gimenez of Florida
- Tony Gonzales of Texas
- Anthony Gonzalez of Ohio
- Jamie Herrera Beutler of Washington
- Ashley Hinson of Iowa
- Darrell Issa of California
- Chris Jacobs of New York
- David Joyce of Ohio
- John Katko of New York
- Nancy Mace of South Carolina
- Nicole Malliotakis of New York
- Peter Meijer of Michigan
- Mariannette Miller-Meeks of Iowa
- Blake Moore of Utah
- Dan Newhouse Washington
- Jay Obernolte of California
- Tom Rice of South Carolina
- Mike Simpson of Idaho
- Elise Stefanik of New York
- Bryan Steil of Wisconsin
- Chris Stewart of Utah
- Mike Turner of Ohio
- Fred Upton of Michigan
- David Valadao of California
- Ann Wagner of Missouri
- Michael Waltz of Florida
...
In a statement, Representative Stewart said he voted again in support of the bill to expand "current religious freedoms and LGBTQ civil rights."
"I proudly voted in July to codify these all-important protections," he said. "And today I was proud to once again vote in favor of protecting our LGBTQ and religious friends and neighbors. As a man of faith and a conservative, ensuring the religious liberties of people in Utah is absolutely essential."
Two Representatives, Gallagher and Herrera Beutler, flipped from a "nay" vote in July to a "yea" vote today.
Seven Republicans flipped from a "yea" vote to a "nay" vote. Those include Representatives Cliff Bentz of Oregon, Brian Mast of Florida, Dan Meuser of Pennslyvania, Maria Salazar of Florida, Scott Perry of Penn and Jeff Van Drew of New Jersey.
Representative Burgess Owens of Utah voted "present." Four Republicans did not vote on the measure.
While the RFMA would not codify Obergefell, it would require states that ban same-sex marriages to recognize legal same-sex marriages from other states in the event that Obergefell is overturned.
It would also protect interracial marriages by requiring states to recognize legal marriages regardless of "sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin."
This final House vote comes one week after the bill passed in the Senate by a vote of 61-36.
The legislation also had bi-partisan support from 12 Republicans, including:
- Roy Blunt of Missouri
- Richard Burr of North Carolina
- Shelley Moore Capito of West Virginia
- Susan Collins of Maine
- Joni Ernst of Iowa
- Cynthia Lummis of Wyoming
- Lisa Murkowski of Alaska
- Rob Portman of Ohio
- Mitt Romney of Utah
- Dan Sullivan of Alaska
- Thom Tillis of North Carolina
- Todd Young of Indiana
The measure will now be sent to President Joe Biden's desk to be officially signed into law.
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