Same Sex Marriage: Scanlon Votes In Favor, Calls DOMA 'Bigoted'

DELAWARE COUNTY, PA — Congresswoman Mary Gay Scanlong (D-5th District) has thrown her support for same-sex marriage by voting in the affirmative of the Respect for Marriage Act last week.

Scanlon joined 218 other Democrats and 39 Republicans to send the bill to President Joe Biden's desk Thursday last week.

The bill provides statutory authority for same-sex and interracial marriages.

Specifically, the bill replaces provisions that define, for purposes of federal law, marriage as between a man and a woman and spouse as a person of the opposite sex with provisions that recognize any marriage between two individuals that is valid under state law.

Additionally, it officially repeals the Defense of Marriage Act, which Scanlon called "bigoted."

The bill upholds couples’ right to equal protection under federal law, and requiring states to recognize valid out-of-state marriages.

Scanlon also led the floor debate on the rule ahead of the House’s vote.

"The federal government should never stand in the way of Pennsylvanians’ right to marry the person they love," Scanlon said. "But the Supreme Court’s decision in Dobbs set our country on a perilous path by opening the door to reconsider and overturn fundamental American freedoms - including marriage equality, a basic liberty that the overwhelming majority of Pennsylvanians support. Today I proudly voted to pass the Respect for Marriage Act to ensure long-term stability and important statutory protections for all marriages, regardless of race or sexual orientation. This is a historic step to protect LGBTQ+ equality – and serves notice that hate and bigotry have no place in America."

The Respect for Marriage Act will take several steps to protect the inviolability of same-sex and interracial marriages:

• Repealing the “Defense of Marriage Act” once and for all: While the Supreme Court effectively voided DOMA, the unconstitutional and discriminatory federal law still remains on the books;
• enshrining Marriage Equality In Federal Law: This legislation will uphold married couples’ right to equal protection in all areas covered under federal law, such as Social Security, tax filings, and veterans’ benefits;
• and barring discrimination by state officials: This legislation prohibits state officials from denying recognition of an out-of-state marriage on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin.

Find the full text of the Respect for Marriage Act here.