AOTA supports the Respect for Marriage Act

President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404/S. 4556) into law on December 13th, 2022.

This legislation codifies marriage equality by requiring the federal government, and U.S. states and territories to recognize a marriage between any two individuals, as long as the marriage was valid in the state where it was performed. The law does not require any state or territory to allow same-sex couples to marry.

The American Occupational Therapy Association joined more than 50 federal and state health and education organizations in a letter supporting passage of this piece of legislation. The letter echoes AOTA’s statement on Occupational Therapy’s Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in stating that, “fair and equitable treatment for all families, under the law, will lead to improved health and well-being, economic and educational opportunities, and to a better future for future generations.”

History of this piece of legislation

The House of Representatives passed this legislation in July 2022 with bi-partisan support, and the bill was then considered in the Senate - where 60 votes were required for passage. A compromise was reached, and an amended version of the bill was passed on November 16. On December 8, the House of Representatives passed the legislation as amended, and President Joe Biden signed this bill into law on December 13, 2022.

This article, originally published November 16th, 2022, has been updated to reflect more recent events.