Denver, CO –Today, One Colorado joins LGBTQ+ organizations representing millions of LGBTQ+ individuals across the United States to applaud the U.S. House of Representatives for its final passage of the Respect for Marriage Act and to call for continued action to protect LGBTQ+ people in this country. Last month, the Respect for Marriage Act passed in the U.S. Senate on a bipartisan vote of 61-36. After today’s concurrent vote, the bill will move to President Joe Biden’s desk for signature.

“My wife and I are a same-sex, interracial couple,” shares Mikayla Perry, (she, her, hers) a One Colorado team member. “In holding these identities, we understand the fragility of equality and that our rights are determined by those who hold power. Today’s final vote in the U.S. House to protect same-sex and interracial marriages signals to me and to millions of Americans that we belong and have equal value in our society.”

The Respect for Marriage Act is a popular, bipartisan bill that would require states and the federal government to respect the marriages of same-sex and interracial couples, which is what our nation does now. In all stages the legislation has seen strong bipartisan support - clearing its first House vote with a bipartisan majority of 267 members (including 47 Republicans), passing the U.S. Senate in November with a bipartisan vote of 61-36, and today again, seeing support across the aisle with a vote of 258-169.The Respect for Marriage Act is simple – it would:

• Repeal DOMA and get this anti-marriage federal law off the books.
• Ensure that the federal government respects all marriages equally for federal law purposes, and require that an individual be considered married if the couple’s marriage was valid in the state where it was performed.
• Prohibit any state government or 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.

Passing the Respect for Marriage Act is one action the federal government can take to protect LGBTQ+ families and all families – and ensure the dignity, stability, and ongoing protection that marriage affords to families and children. Passing the Equality Act is a next step the federal government can take to ensure consistent and explicit federal non-discrimination protections for all LGBTQ+ people in areas of housing, employment, and public accommodations.