The final tally on the Respect for Marriage Act. Screenshot from C-SPAN via Rep. Mike Levin’s office
Amid worries that after Roe v. Wade was overturned the conservative Supreme Court will turn to a ruling protecting same-sex marriage, the House voted for federal protection with all members from San Diego in favor.
Congress passed the Respect for Marriage Act by a 267-157 vote, with 47 Republicans joining all Democrats in supporting the measure. Seven Republicans did not vote.
All five members of the San Diego delegation — Reps. Darrell Issa, Sara Jacobs, Mike Levin, Scott Peters and Juan Vargas — voted in favor.
If approved by the Senate — where Republicans may filibuster the legislation — the new law would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, which was invalidated by the Supreme Court in 2015 but remains on the books. In addition to safeguarding the right to same-sex marriage nationwide, the bill also includes federal protections for interracial marriages.
The court’s majority opinion in Roe v. Wade, overturning a long-established right to abortion, stressed that no other prior rulings were affected.
But in a separate opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas recommended that the court also overturn federal rulings protecting the use of contraceptives and same-sex marriage. Texas Sen. Ted Cruz recently backed these idea as well, saying these are issues for individual states to decide.
“Justice Thomas said the quiet part out loud, boasting that the radical, right-wing Supreme Court will target and tear down marriage equality next,” said Jacobs after the vote. “But we won’t go back. I’m grateful that we’re taking this threat seriously and proud that the House proactively passed these protections today.”
Jacobs has introduced a separate bill scheduled to be heard this week that would create federal protections for the use of contraceptives.