WASHINGTON — Congress passed a bill to codify federal recognition of same-sex marriages Thursday with some protections for religious freedom, sending the bill to President Joe Biden.
The House voted 258-169-1 on the bill that would repeal the 1996 law known as the Defense of Marriage Act that the Supreme Court found to be largely unconstitutional in a 2013 decision. It would also codify federal recognition of same-sex and interracial marriages that are legal in the state where the marriage was performed.
The Senate passed a version of the bill less than two weeks ago, after months of bipartisan negotiations, that added provisions to protect the tax-exempt status and other government benefits of religious institutions.
