U.S. President Joe Biden signed the historic Respect for Marriage Act, cementing into law federal protection for both same-sex and interracial marriages and delivering a victory for Democrats.
"Today’s a good day. A day America takes a vital step toward equality, toward liberty and justice, not just for some but for everyone,” Biden said Tuesday during a ceremony on the White House’s South Lawn, calling the choice of whom to marry "one of the most profound decisions a person can make.”
"The law recognizes that everyone should have the right to answer those questions for themselves, without government interference,” the president said. "Now the law requires that interracial marriage and same-sex marriage must be recognized as legal in every state and the nation.”