Tuesday’s Senate vote passed bipartisan legislation to protect gay marriages. This is an unusual sign of shifting national politics and a relief measure for the thousands of gay couples who have been married since 2015, when the Supreme Court legalized gay marriage in the United States.

The bill would have interracial and same-sex marriages enshrined into federal law. It was supported by 12 Republicans. The legislation, which was approved by the Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer on Tuesday, is part of America’s “difficult and inexorable march to greater equality”.

While Democrats still hold the majority in both Congress chambers, they are quickly moving to send the bill to Congress and then to President Joe Biden’s desk . Since the Supreme Court’s June decision that overturned federal rights to abortion in June, the bill has been steadily moving forward. This was despite the fact that Justice Clarence Thomas provided a concurring opinion that suggested that same-sex marriage might also be at risk. Bipartisan Senate negotiations were given a boost this summer by 47 Republicans voting for a House bill. This gave supporters renewed optimism.

WATCH Senate votes to pass Respect for Marriage Act to ensure same-sex and interracial marriages

This legislation will not make any state allow gay couples to marry. It would, however, require states to recognize legal marriages wherever they are performed and to protect existing same-sex unions if the Obergefell v. Hodges court decision of 2015 is overturned.

This is a remarkable bipartisan endorsement and evidence of social change after years of bitter division on the issue.

This bill would also ensure interracial marriages, by requiring states that recognize legal marriages, regardless of their “sex, race or ethnicity”

The new law would protect same-sex marriages. It would also be a huge victory for Democrats, as they will no longer hold Washington’s consolidated power for two years. This would be a significant win for advocates who have pushed for federal legislation for decades. This comes at a time when the LGBTQ0_ community is facing violent attacks such as last weekend’s shooting at a Colorado gay nightclub that killed five and injured at most 17.

Kelley Robinson, who is the new president of Human Rights Campaign which promotes LGBTQ issues, stated that “our community really needs to win”, after going through so much. “As a married queer person, I feel a sense relief right now. My family is safe.

Many senators felt the vote was important to them. Schumer stated on Tuesday that he was still wearing the tie that he wore to his daughter’s wedding. He also spoke of the “harrowing conversation” that he had with his wife and daughter in September 2020, when he learned that liberal Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg had died. They asked, “Could our marriage right be overthrown?”

EXPLAINER – Senate clears major hurdle for same-sex marriage bill Here are the things it does and doesn’t do

Ginsburg was replaced by conservative Justice Amy Coney Barrett, which has overturned Roe v. Wade. This also means that the federal right of an abortion is no longer protected by the federal government. This has stoked fears about Obergefell as well as other rights being protected by the court. However, sentiment has changed on same-sex marriage with more than two thirds of the public supporting it.

Schumer stated that it was still remarkable that the Senate is having the debate after years and years of Republican opposition. He said that a decade ago, it would have been difficult for all of us to imagine both sides discussing protecting the rights of married couples of same-sex.

After three Republican amendments were rejected by the Senate, which was meant to protect religious institutions’ rights and allow for others to oppose such marriages, the Senate passed the legislation. The bill’s supporters argued that the amendments were unnecessary as the bill was already amended to clarify that the bill does not affect the rights of private individuals and businesses which are already enshrined by law. To avoid any far-right criticisms that the bill could support polygamy, the bill would clarify that a marriage can only be between two people.

Republican Senator Thom Tillis of North Carolina has been lobbying his fellow GOP senators for months to support the legislation. He pointed out the number of religious organizations supporting the bill, which includes the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Some of these groups were involved in negotiations for the bipartisan amendment.

Tillis states that “they see this as an important step forward in religious freedom.”

In a statement, the nearly 17 million-member faith based in Utah stated this month that same-sex relationships would be considered against God’s commands by church doctrine. It said that it supported rights for gay couples, provided they don’t violate religious groups’ freedom to believe as they wish.

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The legislation is opposed by most Republicans, who claim it is unnecessary and raise concerns about religious freedom. Some conservative groups have stepped up their opposition to the legislation in recent weeks and lobby Republican supporters to change their votes.

Roger Severino, Vice President of Domestic Policy at Heritage Foundation, stated that marriage is the only, lifelong, conjugal union of one man and one woman. He also argued against the bill in a blog post.

Democrats waited until after midterm elections to consider the bill. This was in an attempt to secure the 10 Republican votes needed to defeat a filibuster within the 50-50 Senate.

Democrats received the votes they needed from 12 Republicans through their eventual support.

Maine Senator Susan Collins and Ohio Senator. Rob Portman supported the bill from the beginning and lobbied his GOP colleagues to do so. The Republican senators voted in favor of the legislation in two tests votes before it was passed. Richard Burr of North Carolina; Todd Young of Indiana; Shelley Moore Capito from West Virginia; Mitt Romney of Utah; Joni Ernst of Iowa; Roy Blunt, Missouri; Cynthia Lummis, Wyoming; Lisa Murkowski, and Dan Sullivan, Alaska

Lummis was one of the most conservative senators and spoke about her “fairly brutal self-reflection” before she voted in favor of the bill. While she acknowledged the beliefs of her church that marriage is between a man or woman, she also noted that the nation was founded on the separation and equality of church and government.

@lisaremillard #respectformarriageact #samesexmarriage ♬ original sound – 📺The News Girl 📰

Lummis stated, “We do well when we take this step, and not by embracing or validating one another’s devoutly held opinions, but simply by the act of tolerating.”

This is a stark contrast to a decade ago when many Republicans opposed same-sex marriages.

Wisconsin Senator Tammy Baldwin is a Democrat and the first openly gay senator. She has worked on gay rights issues almost forty years. Baldwin said this month that she was reminded of the “arc” of the LBGTQ Movement to begin with in those early days, when people didn’t know gay people well and were not out.

Baldwin, who was the Senate’s lead negotiator for the legislation, stated that hearts and minds have changed as more families and individuals have become visible.

She said, “And slowly laws followed.” It is history.