Democrats rush to pass legislation before Republicans take control of House
PBS NewsHourDec 24, 2022
The Facts
On Tuesday, US Pres. Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act, a bipartisan bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriage at a federal level.
The House — which initially approved the measure in July — passed the bill in a 258-169 vote last week after the Senate amended it to include protections for religious liberty.
The Spin
Democratic narrative
This is a victory for LGBTQ+ rights, and the bipartisan support for the bill shows how far social issues have progressed in today's America. However, LGBTQ+ minorities continue to face prejudice, and the left cannot lose sight of the battles that still need fighting.
Republican narrative
This bill has been passed and signed despite majority opposition from Republican lawmakers over the language of the legislation that infringes on religious freedoms and will pave the way to increased federal action and litigation against religious groups. The law does nothing to actually advance LGBTQ+ freedoms but does everything to threaten religious ones.
