Carper, CAMP Rehoboth celebrate Respect for Marriage Act
About six months ago, during a legislative break in June, Sen. Tom Carper held a round-table discussion about issues facing the LBGTQ community during his annual trip to CAMP Rehoboth.
At the time, the U.S. Supreme Court had recently overturned Roe v. Wade and members of CAMP Rehoboth’s board of directors voiced their concern that national laws related to gay rights may also be reconsidered – particularly, the right to marriage.
Fast forward to Dec. 2, and Carper was back at CAMP to celebrate the Senate’s passage of the bi-partisan Respect for Marriage Act, which repeals the Defense of Marriage Act passed in 1996 and preserves the right to federal recognition of marriage for same-sex and interracial couples.
Addressing CAMP board members, Carper said there were 12 Republicans who stood up against a strong headwind to get the act passed. There’s a lot to be happy about because this affects a larger percentage of families than most people think, he said.
CAMP Board of Directors Vice President Leslie Ledogar said the legislation secures a fundamental truth – that love is love. Having the right to marry the person someone loves is fundamental to families, she said.
The federal legislation is now before the House and it’s expected to be acted on this week. If passed, President Joe Biden has already said he’ll be signing the law. In a statement Nov. 29, Biden said the legislation will safeguard the rights and protections for LGBTQI+ and interracial couples and their children. It will also ensure that, for generations to follow, LGBTQI+ youth will grow up knowing that they, too, can lead full, happy lives and build families of their own, he said, adding that he will promptly sign the bill into law once it reaches his desk.
