[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 176 (Tuesday, November 15, 2022)]
[Senate]
[Page S6678]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                        RESPECT FOR MARRIAGE ACT

  Mr. SCHUMER. Mr. President, first, on Respect for Marriage, the 117th 
Congress will go down, I believe, as one of the most successful 
Congresses we have seen in decades. We are all so proud of that fact. 
Over the last 2 years, this Chamber has passed historic and bipartisan 
bills that have covered everything from infrastructure to gun safety, 
to CHIPS and Science, to veterans' aid, and more. Again, a common theme 
for many of these bills was bipartisanship. Very soon, the Senate can 
add to our accomplishments when we vote to proceed on the Respect for 
Marriage Act.
  For the information of all Senators, we will hold our first 
procedural vote on this bill tomorrow, and after that, I hope both 
sides can work quickly together to move this bill through the Senate 
and on to the President's desk.
  I firmly believe that passing bipartisan marriage protections would 
be one of the more significant accomplishments in what has already been 
a significantly productive Congress. It will do so much good for so 
many people who want nothing more than to live their lives without the 
fear of discrimination.

  And make no mistake that passing the Respect for Marriage Act is as 
personal as it gets for many of us in this Chamber--myself included--so 
we want to get this done as soon as we can.
  A mere decade ago, marriage discrimination was legal in many places 
across the country. And just a few months ago, when the Supreme Court 
overturned Roe, Justice Thomas wrote in a concurring opinion that 
Obergefell, which recognized the constitutional right to same-sex 
marriage, could similarly be overturned. I hope that never happens, but 
the Senate can eliminate the risk of LGBTQ Americans having their 
rights curtailed if we act now to codify marriage protections into law.
  The Respect for Marriage Act is precisely the kind of bill that 
Democrats and Republicans can rally around together and which Americans 
across the country want to see us work on. It already passed the House 
earlier this year with significant--47--Republican votes, and I am 
optimistic we can achieve a similar result in this Chamber. Senators 
Baldwin, Sinema, and a number of my Republican colleagues, including 
Senators Collins and Portman and Tillis, have done excellent work 
building support for this bill, and I want to recognize all their 
efforts here on this floor.
  I hope that, at minimum, 10 Republicans will be ready to throw their 
support behind this sound, commonsense bill. Millions of people will be 
better off if we are able to work together on this important and highly 
personal issue, and so I urge all of us to vote yes when the time comes 
to move forward tomorrow.

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