47 House Republicans join Democrats in passing same-sex marriage bill

On Tuesday evening, the House passed a bill that would codify same-sex marriage into law. The bill, the Respect for Marriage Act, passed 267 to 157 in the House chamber, with 47 Republicans joining all Democrat Representatives in voting for the measure, according to the Daily Mail.

The bill repeals section 1738C of title 28, United States Code, stating that "no person acting under color of State law may deny full faith and credit to any public act, record, or judicial proceeding of any other State pertaining to a marriage between two individuals, on the basis of the sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of those individuals, or a right or claim arising from such a marriage on the basis that such marriage would not be recognized under the law of that State on the basis of the sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of those individuals."

Previously, this section stated under the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that states and territories shall not be required to honor marriages between two people of the same sex.

Democrats argued that it was necessary to enshrine same-sex marriage into law following a concurring opinion from Justice Clarence Thomas in the case of Dobbs v. Jackson Women's Health Organization which overturned Roe, in which he questioned the 2015 case of Obergefell. While many Republicans stated that the legislation was unnecessary at a moment when inflation and other issues reign supreme.

Rep. Lisa McClain of Michigan, a member of the Republican Study Committee, told the Daily Mail, "At a time when inflation is at 9.1 percent and the southern border is in a full-blown crisis, Democrats in Congress are wasting time on a bill about marriage. Is that really the most pressing issue facing our country? How about we focus on things that matter, like lowering gas costs rather than voting on pointless bills that only score political points."

Congressman Steven Palazzo of Mississippi accused House Democrats of "pushing through redundant legislation for non-issues."

Rep. Kevin Hearn of Oklahoma said that "the only purpose of this legislation is to instill fear and spread misinformation about the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs v. Jackson."

The House also intends to hold a vote later this week in regards to contraceptive access, and a renewed push has appeared to add additional seats to the Supreme Court bench in an effort to counterbalance the conservative majority the nation’s highest court currently holds.