On Thursday, the House of Representatives approved the Respect for Marriage Act, which stands as Congress’s first approved federal protection for same-sex marriage.

   The unprecedented support of Republican representatives allowed the bill to pass with a vote of 258-169 in the House and 61-36 in the Senate last week.

   According to the New York Times, Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi cheered on the passage of the legislation with excited bangs of her gavel.

   “Today, we stand up for the values the vast majority of Americans hold dear: A belief in the dignity, beauty and divinity — spark of divinity — in every person, and abiding respect for love so powerful that it binds two people together,” Pelosi said.

   Not only does the legislation protect the legitimacy of same-sex marriage in states where it is legal, but it also provides additional protections for interracial couples and an amendment for religious liberties, which was the driving factor in the final decision of Republican support.

   According to CNN, at its final step before complete enactment, the bill now waits for the assured approval of President Joe Biden, who will likely host a signing ceremony in its honor.

   “I look forward to welcoming them at the White House after the House passes this legislation and sends it to my desk, where I will promptly and proudly sign it into law,” Biden said.

   The earnest push for this law that will overturn the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996 resulted from the controversial overturn of Roe v. Wade on June 24. Concern rose among liberal groups when Justice Clarence Thomas called upon the Supreme Court to reexamine Obergefell v. Hodges, which assures the constitutional protection of same-sex marriage.

   According to NPR, in the case that Obergefell is overturned, the legality of same-sex marriages would be placed in the hands of the individual states, regardless of the Marriage Act, which requires state and federal acknowledgment of all legally performed marriages.

   The signature of approval on the Respect for Marriage Act marked a monumental step for LGBTQ+ Americans. Advocates now urge to look next to the passage of the Equity Act, which would illegalize discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity.