On Tuesday, President Joe Biden signed legislation codifying federal protections for interracial and same-sex marriages. The ceremony took place at the White House.

Kamala Harris, Vice President and first lady Jill Biden attended as well as Doug Emhoff, second gentleman.

Biden stated that today was a “good day”, and that America has taken a crucial step toward equality, liberty, and justice for all Americans.

President Obama emphasized bipartisan support of the legislation passed by Congress last Wednesday, while calling for more, including a renewed push to pass legislation to ban discrimination based sex, gender orientation, or gender identity.

Biden also quoted directly from a 2012 interview with NBC News’ “Meet the Press”. In which he expressed support for same-sex marriage, ahead of then-President Barack Obama,. Biden’s comments from that interview were included on a program about the event.

Biden signed the legislation with the help of a bipartisan group, led by Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), the first openly homosexual person elected to the Senate. It will ensure federal recognition of marriages and provide full benefits to all couples, “regardless” of their sex, race or ethnicity. However, the bill will not require states to issue marriage licenses that are contrary to state laws.

The House passed the Respect for Marriage Act last Wednesday by a vote 258–169. The Senate had already voted in favor of the bill late last month, by a vote 61-36.

The legislation was unanimously supported by Democrats, but it was opposed by most Republicans in both houses.

Many people attended the bill signing on South Lawn. Sen. Kyrsten Silena, I-Ariz. confirmed that she was there with Biden. This is just days after she quit the Democratic Party to become an independent. Sinema, Baldwin, and Republican Senators were the bill’s cosponsors. Susan Collins, Thom Tillis, North Carolina, Rob Portman, Ohio. She was able to broker a compromise amendment regarding religious freedom protections, which secured GOP votes for the legislation.

The amendment contained language stating that no religious organization would be allowed to perform same-sex weddings, and that the federal government would not have to protect polygamous unions.

Officials from the White House said that Matthew Haynes, Club Q’s co-owner, and James Slaugh and Michael Anderson, both shooting survivors, were among those who attended Tuesday’s signing. Cyndi Lauper is a long-standing advocate for LGBTQ rights and a singer.

Others present included plaintiffs in Obergefell V. Hodges (2015), which was the Supreme Court’s 2015 ruling that guaranteed equal-sex marriage rights; Judy KasenWindsor; Philip Hirschkop (co-counsel in Loving. Virginia), the landmark 1967 Supreme Court decision that protected interracial marital union; Hunter Abrams, photographer; and Brandon Wolf. Wolf is a survivor from the Pulse nightclub shootings in Orlando.

After Democratic leaders expressed concern about the possibility that the Supreme Court would follow up its June decision to repeal Roe v. Wade by a ruling that invalidates the right of gay couples to marry, the law is now in effect. Democrats cited Justice Clarence Thomas’ concurring view in Roe’s Supreme Court ruling. In it, he asked the conservative majority court for a review of landmark decisions that legalized contraception and same-sex marital.

In recent years, a record number bills have been introduced by state legislators that limit the rights LGBTQ people. The Respect for Marriage Act is also being presented at a time when many bills have been proposed. Right-wing conservatives have been promoting anti-LGBTQ rhetoric and making a series of attacks on the community, such as the shooting at ClubQ in Colorado Springs, Colorado last month.

Biden signed Tuesday’s bill a decade after his public support for same-sex marital relationships. This is a significant change for the former senator who had previously voted against the recognition of same-sex marriage.

The good news is that Americans are beginning to see the simple truth: Who do they love? What do you love and are you loyal to that person? During an interview with Biden on NBC’s “Meet the Press” in 2012, Biden stated that this is what all marriages are about.

He said, “I’m completely comfortable with the fact men can marry men, women can marry women, and heterosexuals and heterosexual women can marry each other are entitled to all civil rights, all civil liberties, and all civil rights.” “And quite frankly I don’t see any distinction beyond that.”

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