Pappas Leads House in Passing Respect for Marriage Act

Press Release

Today, Congressman Chris Pappas (NH-01), Co-Chair of the Congressional LGBTQ+ Equality Caucus and New Hampshire's first openly gay member of Congress, issued the following statement after an amended version of the Respect for Marriage Act passed the House. Pappas introduced this legislation alongside Congressman Nadler and his fellow Equality Caucus Co-Chairs in July 2022. The amended bill will now be sent to President Biden for his signature.

"Next year I will marry the love of my life. But if the Supreme Court heeds Justice Thomas's call to reconsider Obergefell, our marriage won't be recognized in all 50 states," said Congressman Pappas. "Every American is entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and the Respect for Marriage Act will protect spousal rights regardless of what the Court does next. We simply cannot go backward, which is why I am thrilled to see this legislation pass the House again today with a strong bipartisan vote. I am grateful that President Biden will sign this into law to protect the rights of all same-sex and interracial couples."

Specifically, the Respect for Marriage Act would:

Repeal DOMA. The Supreme Court effectively rendered DOMA inert with its landmark decisions in United States v. Windsor and Obergefell. This unconstitutional and discriminatory law, however, still officially remains on the books. The bill would repeal this statute once and for all.
Enshrine Marriage Equality for Federal Law Purposes. The bill requires, for federal law purposes, that an individual be considered married if the marriage was valid in the state where it was performed. This gives same-sex and interracial couples additional certainty that they will continue to enjoy equal treatment under federal law as all other married couples - as the Constitution requires.
Provide Additional Legal Protections from Individuals Seeking to Undermine Marriage Equality While Acting Under Color of State Law. The bill prohibits any person acting under color of state law from denying full faith and credit to an out-of-state marriage based on the sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of the individuals in the marriage, provides the Attorney General with the authority to pursue enforcement actions, and creates a private right of action for any individual harmed by a violation of this provision.

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