Members of both houses of Congress gathered with LGBTQ advocates in the Rayburn Room at the Capitol on December 8 for a special ceremony celebrating the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act.
The gathering took place shortly after the House of Representatives approved the legislation, which enshrines protections for LGBTQ and interracial couples by requiring states to recognize existing marriages — even if the Supreme Court someday overturns Obergefell v. Hodges. The bill also repeals the Defense of Marriage Act.
The Senate passed the legislation in late November, meaning the bill now goes to President Joe Biden’s desk for his final signature — and he is eager to get it done.
Judith Kasen-Windsor, the surviving spouse of Edie Windsor, and out gay former Congressmember Barney Frank were among those who joined the lawmakers to celebrate the bill.
“I was here for the birth of DOMA, so I am very grateful to be able to be here for the funeral,” Frank said. “And it’s kind of a New Orleans moment; we are tooting our horns for the funeral — a much happier occasion than the birth.”
We were in the Rayburn Room to capture the moment. See photos below:
