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DMV reacts to Respect for Marriage Act
It was a historic day at the White House on Tuesday as President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law. But, how does the bill protect marriage, and how do the people of the DMV feel about it?
WASHINGTON, DC - It was a historic day at the White House on Tuesday as President Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act into law. But, how does the bill protect marriage, and how do the people of the DMV feel about it?
The bill grew out of a concern that if the Supreme Court was able to overturn abortion rights in Roe v. Wade as it did earlier this year, same-sex and interracial marriage could also be threatened.
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Biden signs bill protecting same-sex, interracial marriages
President Joe Biden invited thousands to celebrate at the White House on Tuesday as he signed into law gay marriage legislation before a bipartisan crowd that reflects the growing acceptance of same-sex unions.
Democrats and Republicans came together to pass the Respect for Marriage Act.
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Senate passes Respect for Marriage Act in procedural vote
The U.S. Senate has passed the Respect for Marriage Act in a procedural vote.
READ MORE: Biden signs bill protecting same-sex, interracial marriages at White House ceremony
Under this new law, if the U.S. Supreme Court ever reverses its 2015 decision that legalized same-sex marriage, states will be required to recognize legal marriages from other states, even those that don't have same-sex marriage laws. This also applies to interracial marriages.
FOX 5 found widespread support for the bill when talking to the people of the DMV.
"I might disagree with somebody but at the end of the day, this is the land of the free, right?" one viewer said.
"It’s a hopeful change though, and it’s going in the right direction giving us promising results," said another.
However, there are things the law won't do. For example, it won't force religious groups to marry anyone who falls outside the rules of their faith.
READ MORE: Kentucky Supreme Court hears arguments over statewide abortion ban
Virginia Senator Mark Warner told FOX 5 "that a marriage that’s legal in one state, another state has to recognize that marriage."
Some conservatives warn the bill infringes on states' rights.
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Senate passes Respect for Marriage Act
Washington Times reporter Ramsey Touchberry joins FOX 5 to discuss the Respect for Marriage Act that the Senate passed.
"A function of lame-duck sessions like this is that individuals who are on their way out and have sought reelection have an opportunity to ‘virtue signal’ on precisely what they think are most important to the individuals that have elected them," says Sarah Parshall Perry of the Heritage Foundation.
Public opinion on same-sex marriage has shifted dramatically. In 2004, a Marist poll found just 42% of Americans said they were in support of same-sex marriage. Now, that number is up to 68%.