Washington—Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) today released the following statement after Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer scheduled a vote on the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act, a bill Senator Feinstein introduced to enshrine marriage equality in federal law and provide additional legal protections for marriage equality:
“I want to thank Majority Leader Schumer for announcing a vote on the Respect for Marriage Act, a bipartisan bill to protect marriage equality that I’m leading with Senators Baldwin, Collins and Portman.
“By striking down Roe v. Wade, the conservative Supreme Court justices indicated a willingness to revisit other longstanding precedents including the Obergefell decision that protected marriage equality.
“If this landmark decision were overturned, the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act would become law again and states would be free to discriminate. We can’t let the legal rights of married couples and their families be jeopardized.
“It’s time to remove the shameful Defense of Marriage Act from the books and ensure that same-sex and interracial marriages are protected regardless of the conservative Supreme Court’s actions. I encourage my Senate colleagues to pass our bipartisan bill and reaffirm that marriage equality is the law of the land.”
Background:
- In addition to Senator Feinstein, the bill is cosponsored by Senators Tammy Baldwin (D-Wisc.), Susan Collins (R-Maine) and Rob Portman (R-Ohio).
- The House passed the bill in July 267-157, with all Democrats and 47 Republicans voted for the legislation.