Philadelphia Bar Association Chancellor Wesley R. Payne IV issued the following statement applauding the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act by the U.S. House of Representatives. The legislation, which protects marriage equality under federal law, was previously passed by the U.S. Senate and is expected to be signed into law by President Joe Biden.
“We applaud today’s passage of the Respect for Marriage Act by the House of Representatives. This legislation represents an important advancement for marriage equality, and provides critical recognition and protection for both same-sex couples and interracial couples,” Payne said. “When our Association passed a resolution supporting marriage equality in Pennsylvania in 2014, we noted that our state’s Constitution provides that all people have the right to pursue their own happiness – and we believe that includes being able to marry the person you love and receiving legal recognition for that union, along with all the benefits that recognition provides.
