The Respect for Marriage act passed cloture without the support of Senators Roger Wicker and Cindy Hyde-Smith. The bill received enough bi-partisan support to earn the 60 votes it needed to reach the next stage of debate. Congress does not have the authority to require states to issue same-sex marriage licenses like the 2015 Supreme Court decision in Obergefell v. Hodges. But If passed the bill would codify same-sex marriage recognition.
Rob Hill is the state director of the Human Rights Campaign in Mississippi. He said since this bill's inception, both sides of the aisle have supported it in both chambers of congress.
"This bill passed the house in a bipartisan way... with 47 republicans voting for it," he said. "It was exciting to see something like this celebrated in a bipartisan way.
While Hill is disappointed that his state senators opposed the bill, he says the percentage of American citizens that support LGBT persons and same-sex marriage is comforting.
"A record number of Americans, 71%... support marriage equality," he said. "and certainly support passing The Equality Act, which would say once and for all that LGBTQ+ people cannot be discriminated against in places of public accommodation, or workplace, or in housing."
President Biden has announced that he will sign the bill if it passes.
