Gay couples celebrated when legislators finally approved a “same-sex” bill in the House on Thursday. And President Joe Biden is scheduled to sign the legislation right away. The Supreme Court ruled that same-sex marriages were the same as other marriages in 2015. But after SCOTUS rescinded the right to abortions and other health care for women, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in the decision that far as he was concerned, same-sex marriages were on the chopping block, too.
The bill passed with bipartisan support 258-169. It also protects interracial marriages, which Thomas did not disturb, probably due to his own interracial marriage. The law read regardless of “sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.”
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-CA) will be stepping down as leader at the end of this term, and whose career has come full circle, said as one of her last official acts, according to the Associated Press:
‘I began my career fighting for LGBTQ communities — and now, one of the final bills that I will sign as Speaker will ensure the federal government never again stands in the way of marrying the person you love.’
Majority Leader Senator Chuck Schumer, whose daughter is gay, celebrated the bill’s passage wearing the same tie he wore at his daughter’s wedding, saying:
‘[It was] one of the happiest moments of my life.’
Representative Chris Pappas (D-NH) said he was marrying “the love of my life” and should that right be threatened was “unthinkable.”
Representative Mark Pocan (D-WI) noted:
‘[Like any other couple visiting a hospitalized spouse] regardless if your spouse’s name Samuel or Samantha.’
Then Representative Mark Pocan (D-RI) commented on marriage equality:
‘[Was] a far fetched idea, Now it’s the law of the land and supported by the vast majority of Americans.’
Virginia Representative Bob Good (R-VA) commented:
“God’s perfect design is indeed marriage between one man and one woman for life. And it doesn’t matter what you think or what I think, that’s what the Bible says.’
Representative Vicky Hartzler (R-MO) added:
‘I’ll tell you my priorities. Protect religious liberty, protect people of faith and protect Americans who believe in the true meaning of marriage.’
President of Human Rights Campaign Kelley Robinson said:
‘We have been through a lot. [And in] such an important way.’
Robinson was with her wife and little boy at the Senate for the vote, and she said at the time:
‘We are part of the full story of what it means to be an American. It really speaks to them validating our love.‘
The two openly gay women in the U.S. Senate were Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Kyrsten Sinema (D-AZ). And they led the bill on toward passage with skilled negotiating. The Republicans sought to include:
‘[The] rights of private individuals or businesses that are already enshrined in current law. The amended bill would also make clear that a marriage is between two people, an effort to ward off some far-right criticism that the legislation could endorse polygamy.’
Baldwin was joyous at the bill’s passage:
‘By living as your true selves, you changed the hearts and minds of people around you.’
Clarence Thomas’ response to the passage of this legislation should be interesting.
Featured image is a screenshot via YouTube.
Christie writes Gloria Christie Reports & Three White Lions Substack newsletters and a Three White Lions podcast available on Apple, Spotify, etc. She is a political journalist for the liberal online newspaper The Bipartisan Report. Written in her own unique style with a twist of humor. Christie’s Mueller Report Adventures In Bite-Sizes a real-life compelling spy mystery (in progress). Find her he
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