China News Service, November 30 (Xinhua) Comprehensive US media reports, on November 29 local time, the US Senate passed the "Respect for Marriage Act", which aims to protect same-sex marriage.
This is a historic step after months of negotiations between the two parties.
Image source: Screenshot of the Associated Press report
According to reports, the Senate passed the "Respect for Marriage Act" by a vote of 61 to 36 that day, and 12 Republicans joined forces with all the Democrats present to advance the bill in the Capitol.
The bill needs 60 votes to pass.
CNN reported that the bill now needs to go back to the House of Representatives for a final vote before being sent to Biden to sign into law.
The House of Representatives is expected to pass the bill before the end of the year, possibly as soon as next week.
Senate Majority Leader Schumer said, "For millions of Americans, today is a very happy day and an important day. We have waited a long time for this day."
The bill codifies into law the protections for same-sex marriage originally established by the Supreme Court in the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision.
Some had worried that protections for same-sex marriage might also be in jeopardy after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which protected women's abortion rights, this summer.
CNN stated that while the bill would not require all states to legalize same-sex marriage, it would require states to recognize legal marriages in another state.