「婚姻リスペクト法」

Lois Beckett “US House passes bill to protect right to same-sex and interracial marriage” https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2022/jul/19/us-house-bill-protect-same-sex-interracial-marriage



連邦下院は同性婚姻や異人種間婚姻の権利を擁護する「婚姻リスペクト法」を可決した。民主党議員のほか、共和党からも47名が賛成票を投じた。
この法案には、妊娠中絶の権利から憲法的権利としてのステータスを剥奪した連邦最高裁判所がその次に同性婚姻の同性婚姻の合法性をターゲットにしていること*1への政治的な予防線という意味がある。


The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal a law from the Clinton era that defines marriage as a relationship between a man and a woman. It would also provide legal protections for interracial marriages by prohibiting any state from denying out-of-state marriage licenses and benefits on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.

The 1996 law, the Defense of Marriage Act, had basically been sidelined by Obama-era court rulings, including the supreme court case Obergefell v Hodges, which established the rights of same-sex couples to marry nationwide, a landmark case for gay rights.

But last month, writing for the majority in overturning Roe v Wade, Justice Samuel Alito argued for a more narrow interpretation of the rights guaranteed to Americans, noting that the right to an abortion was not spelled out in the constitution.


In a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas went further, saying other rulings similar to Roe, including those around same-sex marriage and the right for couples to use contraception, should be reconsidered.

賛成した共和党議員の声;

There were “yes” votes from Republican legislators in North Dakota, Nebraska, Idaho and Utah. Wyoming Republican Liz Cheney*2, who in 2021 publicly apologized for her past opposition to same-sex marriage, was one of the Republicans who voted in favor of the Respect for Marriage Act. Cheney’s sister, Mary Cheney, who is married to a woman, had publicly rebuked her for her stance.

“If gay couples want to be as happily or miserably married as straight couples, more power to them,” said the South Carolina Republican Nancy Mace*3 in a statement about her support.