US President Joe Biden on Tuesday (December 13) signed a bill, granting federal protections to same-sex marriage, into law. The legislative milestone was reached in presence of a large crowd of guests gathered at the White House.
During his tenure as vice-president, Biden had taken a public stand and backed same-sex unions much before 2015 Supreme Court decision making such marriages legal throughout the country.
“America takes a vital step toward equality, for liberty and justice, not just for some, but for everyone,” he said during the signing ceremony Tuesday afternoon.
The US Supreme Court now has a majority of conservative-leaning judges. After it overturned landmark judgement on abortion rights last June, lawmakers from the left and right came together to prevent any subsequent move to curb same-sex marriage rights.
The legislation’s final adoption by Congress last week marked a rare show of bipartisanship in deeply divided Washington.
In celebration, Biden gathered with a group of Republican and Democratic lawmakers on the White House grounds, along with advocates and plaintiffs in marriage equality cases across the country.
Tammy Baldwin, the first openly gay US senator described signing of the bill as a historical moment. She helped draft the law in Congress.
“Today, we are making history and making a difference for millions of Americans,” she said in a statement.
“We are telling the millions of same-sex and interracial couples that we see them and we respect them.”
(With inputs from agencies)
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