When the extremist Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, Justice Clarence Thomas wrote in a concurring opinion that the same legal theory used to strip reproductive rights could be used to attack Obergefell v. Hodges, the case protecting same-sex marriage.

In response, the House of Representatives passed the bipartisan Respect for Marriage Act, which would codify marriage equality nationwide. Now it’s up to the Senate to make it law.

The bill repeals the Defense of Marriage Act, which defines marriage as between only a man and a woman, and it goes even further to guarantee recognition of same-sex and interracial marriages no matter where a couple lives.

The Respect for Marriage Act garnered a surprising 47 Republican votes in the House of Representatives, even from deep red states like Iowa, South Carolina, and Utah. Considering that 71% of Americans support marriage equality, this should be a no-brainer for the Senate, and Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer has said he’ll bring the bill for a vote when he has the necessary support. 

However, Republicans trying to avoid a vote on this bill--including Senators Marco Rubio and Pat Toomey--are claiming that the bill isn’t what Americans care about right now. We need to let the Senate know that Americans want this bill passed now.