US President Biden signs same-sex marriage bill in ‘vital step’ to equality

President Joe Biden signed the historic Respect for Marriage Act, cementing into law federal protection for both same-sex and interracial marriages and delivering a victory for Democrats. US President Joe Biden signs the 'Respect for Marriage Act,' a landmark bill protecting same-sex marriage, at the White House in Washington. A day America takes a vital step toward equality, toward liberty and justice, not just for some but for everyone,” Biden said Tuesday during a ceremony on the White House’s South Lawn, calling the choice of whom to marry “one of the most profound decisions a person can make.” “The law recognizes that everyone should have the right to answer those questions for themselves, without government interference,” the president said. In a concurring opinion, Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas said the court should review other “due process precedents” including the 2015 ruling that required all states to issue same-sex marriage licenses. Biden on Tuesday said Congress was acting “because of the extreme Supreme Court,” which he said had stripped away a right “important to millions of Americans that existed for half a century.” The House last week voted 258-169 to clear the measure, with 39 House Republicans joining in support.