Clarke welcomes passage of the Respect for Marriage Act

Brooklyn Congresswoman Yvette D. Clarke on Thursday, Dec. 5 welcomed the regarding the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act in the US House of Representatives, saying that it “sends a powerful and resounding message that discrimination is unwelcome in our modern society.”

A bipartisan coalition of legislators voting in favor of the measure, 258-169, with one member voting “present,” President Biden will now sign it into law.
“The Respect for Marriage Act has passed, and history is made!” proclaimed Clarke, representative for the 9th Congressional District in Brooklyn. “This pivotal legislation preserves more than the right for gay and interracial couples to marry, but sends a powerful and resounding message that discrimination is unwelcome in our modern society.

“Today is a step forward for justice and a reminder that we must and will always stand up for what is right, and stand against what is wrong – no matter any bulwarks or bigots blocking the way,” added the daughter of Jamaican immigrants. “Allow me to send my heartfelt congratulations to the LGBTQ+ community, and to all those whose love is protected by today’s progress.

“I understand how many of you have fought tirelessly and fearlessly for this moment,” she continued. “The passage of the Respect for Marriage Act is a testament to the power of your determination and will, and it is a victory that you should relish.

“As we celebrate this momentous occasion and take pride in what it represents, let us also acknowledge the work that lies ahead,” Clarke said. “Our pursuit of a world where love and equality are the norm, and where no one has to fear discrimination, persecution, or bigotry must persist. Because let me be clear: this bill was necessitated only by the threat of partisan agitators and a hostile, activist Supreme Court working in unison to regress our nation and our communities. Today, they have failed.

“Today, marriage equality is the law of the land,” the congresswoman affirmed. “And I will always rise to ensure it stays that way.”

In announcing the tally, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said: “Today, we stand up for the values the vast majority of Americans hold dear: A belief in the dignity, beauty and divinity — spark of divinity — in every person, and abiding respect for love so powerful that it binds two people together.”

In a White House statement, President Biden noted that Congress took “a critical step to ensure that Americans have the right to marry the person they love.

“The House’s bipartisan passage of the Respect for Marriage Act—by a significant margin—will give peace of mind to millions of LGBTQI+ and interracial couples who are now guaranteed the rights and protections to which they and their children are entitled,” he said.

“After the uncertainty caused by the Supreme Court’s Dobbs decision, Congress has restored a measure of security to millions of marriages and families,” he added. “They have also provided hope and dignity to millions of young people across this country who can grow up knowing that their government will recognize and respect the families they build.”

Biden thanked the “unwavering champions of this legislation in Congress” — Representatives Nadler, Cicilline, and Davids in the House, and Senators Baldwin, Collins, Portman, Sinema, Tillis, and Feinstein in the Senate —”who refused to be deterred and brought this vital bill over the finish line.”

“Together, we showed that it’s possible for Democrats and Republicans to come together to safeguard our most fundamental rights,” the president said. “On this day, Jill and I are thinking of the courageous couples and fiercely committed advocates who have fought for decades to secure nationwide marriage equality at the Supreme Court and in Congress.

“While we are one step closer on our long journey to build a more perfect union, we must never stop fighting for full equality for LGBTQI+ Americans and all Americans,” Biden added.