fbpx
Vertiv Introduces New Single-Phase Uninterruptible Power Supply for Distributed Information Technology (IT) Networks and Edge Computing Applications in Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA)Read more Students from JA Zimbabwe Win 2023 De La Vega Global Entrepreneurship AwardRead more Top International Prospects to Travel to Salt Lake City for Seventh Annual Basketball Without Borders Global CampRead more Rise of the Robots as Saudi Arabia Underscores Global Data and Artificial Intelligence (AI) Aspirations with DeepFest Debut at LEAP23Read more Somalia: ‘I sold the last three goats, they were likely to die’Read more Merck Foundation and African First Ladies marking World Cancer Day 2023 through 110 scholarships of Oncology Fellowships in 25 countriesRead more Supporting women leaders and aspirants to unleash their potentialRead more Fake medicines kill almost 500,000 sub-Saharan Africans a year: United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) reportRead more Climate crisis and migration: Greta Thunberg supports International Organization for Migration (IOM) over ‘life and death’ issueRead more United Nations (UN) Convenes Lake Chad Countries, Amid Growing Regional CrisisRead more

US Senate to vote this week on same-sex marriage bill

show caption
Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said the chamber will vote this week on a bill protecting same-sex marriage./AFP
Print Friendly and PDF

Nov 15, 2022 - 03:14 AM

WASHINGTON — The US Senate will vote this week on a bill to protect same-sex marriage, Democratic Senate leader Chuck Schumer said Monday, after an agreement reached between members of both parties.

In the United States, same-sex unions have been guaranteed by the Supreme Court since 2015.

But after the court’s historic overturning of a longstanding ruling protecting the right to abortion, many progressives fear that same-sex marriage may also be under threat.

In mid-July, the House of Representatives passed a law to protect such unions across the country. All House Democrats and 47 Republicans supported the bill, but nearly 160 Republicans opposed it.

In the Senate, negotiations have been underway for weeks to ensure the support of at least 10 Republicans for the bill, the number needed for it to pass under qualified majority rules.

A bipartisan group of senators announced on Monday that an agreement had been reached.

The bill is a “needed step” to grant millions of couples “the certainty that they will continue to enjoy the freedoms, rights and responsibilities afforded to all other marriages,” said Democratic Senator Kyrsten Sinema.

A first procedural vote on the bill, which also protects interracial couples, will be scheduled for Wednesday, Schumer said.

He urged the conservative opposition to line up behind the bill, which he described as “extremely important.”

A large majority of Americans support same-sex marriage, including in Republican ranks. But the religious right remains mostly opposed to it.

The Republican minority leader, Mitch McConnell, who wields great influence over his caucus, has not yet indicated whether he will vote in favor of the bill.

LMBCNEWS.COM uses both Facebook and Disqus comment systems to make it easier for you to contribute. We encourage all readers to share their views on our articles and blog posts. All comments should be relevant to the topic. By posting, you agree to our Privacy Policy. We are committed to maintaining a lively but civil forum for discussion, so we ask you to avoid personal attacks, name-calling, foul language or other inappropriate behavior. Please keep your comments relevant and respectful. By leaving the ‘Post to Facebook’ box selected – when using Facebook comment system – your comment will be published to your Facebook profile in addition to the space below. If you encounter a comment that is abusive, click the “X” in the upper right corner of the Facebook comment box to report spam or abuse. You can also email us.