US Senate Passes Bill Protecting Same-Sex Marriage

Facts

On Tuesday, the US senate voted 61-36 to pass the Respect for Marriage Act, a bipartisan bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriage at a federal level.
Although the bill could have been brought to the floor in September, majority leader Chuck Schumer said its supporters took a "calculated risk" in holding off, as they believed more bipartisan support could be reached.
The strategy was seemingly successful as the bill sourced the minimum of 10 GOP votes in the Senate needed to avoid a filibuster. It must now pass through the House and be signed by Pres. Biden to become law, which would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act passed in 1996.
Although the legislation will not force states to conduct same-sex marriages, it requires all 50 states to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages that are performed in any other state.
The legislation is reportedly intended to act as a backstop in case SCOTUS acts against same-sex marriage. It was prompted by fears that the recent overturning of Roe v. Wade could precede a reversal of other landmark cases, such as the 2015 decision to legalize same-sex marriage nationwide.
According to a Gallup poll taken in 2021, support for same-sex marriage hit a record high of 70% among Americans, and, for the first time, it was supported by a majority of Republicans, at 55%.

Democratic narrative, as provided by Washington Post. This success is a victory for LGBTQ+ rights, and the bipartisan support for the bill in the Senate shows how far social issues have progressed in today's America. However, LGBTQ+ minorities continue to face prejudice, and the left cannot lose sight of the battles that still need fighting.
Republican narrative, as provided by Daily Wire. This bill has been passed despite majority opposition from Republican lawmakers over the language of the legislation that infringes on religious freedoms and will pave the way to increased federal action and litigation against religious groups. The law does nothing to actually advance LGBTQ+ freedoms but does everything to threaten religious ones.