When the United States Supreme Court over-turned Roe v. Wade this past summer, one of the justices signaled that it wasn't the end of their work.
“Justice Clarence Thomas indicated that the next attack was going to be on same sex marriage rights,” says Minnesota State Senator Scott Dibble (DFL).
Dibble says the Respect for Marriage Act will authorize the federal government to bring a civil lawsuit against anyone who violates the statutory rights of gay, lesbian or interracial couples.
“States would be risking the federal appropriation, institutions would be risking their federal support if they were to treat people differently,” Dibble told WCCO’s Susie Jones.
Dibble was instrumental in getting Minnesota's same sex marriage bill passed in 2013 after Republicans tried to get same sex marriage banned the year before.
The Supreme Court guaranteed the right to same-sex marriage in a 2015 ruling, but rulings can be overturned, as seen with Roe v. Wade this past summer. Now, supporters of the bill say that same-sex marriage will be better protected.
The bill, led by Sens. Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.), Susan Collins (R-Maine), Rob Portman (R-Ohio), Kyrsten Sinema (D-Ariz.), and Thom Tillis (R-N.C.), also moves to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act passed in 1996. The legislation had defined marriage as being between a man and a woman.
The Respect for Marriage Act passed the Senate with a final vote of 61-36 on Tuesday and will now be sent to the House, which is expected to put it on President Joe Biden’s desk by the end of the year.
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