National Fair Housing Alliance Applauds the Passage of the Respect for Marriage Act 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE 

December 9, 2022 

Contact: iwoodruff@nationalfairhousing.org  

Congress Enshrines Marriage Protections for Same-Sex Couples and Interracial Couples into Law  

Washington, D.C. — Yesterday, the U.S. Congress passed the Respect for Marriage Act, getting one step closer to enshrining marriage protections for same-sex couples into law. Lisa Rice, President and CEO of the National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) issued the following statement:   

“NFHA applauds the U.S. Congress for taking necessary steps to safeguard marriage protections for same-sex couples by passing the Respect for Marriage Act. With this new law, Congress is protecting over 1,000 rights available to married residents in this country and bringing same-sex couples and their families closer to full equality under the law. 

“We are heartened to see this development, and we look forward to working with Congress to do more. In particular, the Senate must continue to confirm judges who will respect the rule of law and the civil rights of every person in this nation at every level of the federal judiciary. Congress must also set its sights on enacting the Equality Act, which guarantees to LGBT people the full set of protections afforded to the rest of the population. 

“The bill also enshrines full protections for interracial couples, which could be under similar threat from this Supreme Court.   

“Unfortunately, the Supreme Court is failing to uphold the precedent necessary to respect individual rights to autonomy. We look forward to continuing to work with Congress to make sure the civil rights of all people are respected and enforced.” 

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The National Fair Housing Alliance (NFHA) is the country’s only national civil rights organization dedicated solely to eliminating all forms of housing and lending discrimination and ensuring equal housing opportunities for all people. As the trade association for over 170 fair housing and justice-centered organizations and individuals throughout the U.S. and its territories, NFHA works to dismantle longstanding barriers to equity and build diverse, inclusive, well-resourced communities.