Americans United for Separation of Church and State President and CEO Rachel Laser issued the following statement today in response to the Senate overcoming an important hurdle to passing the Respect for Marriage Act (RMA):
“The Respect for Marriage Act is a vital step in our nation’s march toward freedom without favor and equality without exception. Today the Senate re-affirmed that marriages between two consenting adults, regardless of race or sex, must be treated as equal under the law. America’s constitutional promise of church-state separation requires this equal treatment and ensures that we all can live as ourselves and marry the person we love.
“The Respect for Marriage Act is crucial to secure LGBTQ equality, racial justice and religious freedom for all. When the ultra-conservative members of the Supreme Court abolished the right to abortion, they signaled that marriage equality could be next on their chopping block. Congress had to act to protect the rights established by Obergefell v. Hodges and Loving v. Virginia. We look forward to President Biden signing this popular, bipartisan act into law.”
Americans United is a religious freedom advocacy organization based in Washington, D.C. Founded in 1947, AU educates Americans about the importance of church-state separation in safeguarding religious freedom.
Press Contact
Liz Hayes
Associate Vice President of Communications
[email protected]