WASHINGTON: The U S House of Representatives has given final congressional approval to legislation that provides federal recognition of same-sex marriages. Legislation granting federal recognition of same-sex marriages received final congressional approval on Thursday thanks to the U.S. House of Representatives. This legislation was developed in response to worries that the Supreme Court might withdraw its support for the legal recognition of such relationships.

The proposal now heads to Democratic President Joe Biden's desk for signature into law after passing the House by a vote of 258-169, with all of the chamber's Democrats voting in favour and 39 Republicans voting against it. Last month, the Senate approved the so-called Respect for Marriage Act.

The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, as well as a number of religious groups and organisations, supported the legislation, while many American religious conservatives continue to oppose gay marriage as being against biblical teaching.
It is specifically drafted to serve as a limited backup for Obergefell v. Hodges, a 2015 Supreme Court decision that made same-sex marriage legal nationwide. As long as they were lawful in the jurisdictions where they were performed, it would empower the federal government and states to recognise same-sex weddings and mixed-race unions. It includes allowances for organisations and religious groups that oppose such unions.

The Defense of Marriage Act of 1996, which among other things barred same-sex couples from receiving government benefits, would be repealed by the proposed legislation. It prohibits states from disqualifying out-of-state unions on the grounds of sex, race, or ethnicity. Interracial marriage restrictions were found unlawful by the Supreme Court in 1967.

But if the Supreme Court gave states the right to do so, the legislation would not prevent them from prohibiting same-sex or inter-racial unions. Additionally, it prevents religious organisations from being denied tax-exempt status or other advantages for refusing to recognise same-sex unions and guarantees that they won't be forced to offer products or services for any marriage.

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