Now that we’ve seen the Supreme Court overturn Roe v. Wade, there are indications that other landmark cases may soon follow.

It has been seven years since marriage rights were granted to same-sex couples in the United States in the Obergefell v. Hodges case. In that time, support for same-sex marriage has increased dramatically in America. But the court may revisit this issue and there is great concern those rights may be revoked. That is why decisions like this should be made by the American public, not our court system.

The House recently passed the Respect for Marriage Act with overwhelming bipartisan support and much to her credit, Sen. Susan Collins has taken the lead in the Senate to hopefully push the bill over the finish line.

For the naysayers who ask why this bill is needed, consider this: If passed, the Respect for Marriage Act would protect all legally married couples, regardless of where they live, should a future court ever overturn the Obergefell decision. It’s also important to note that more than half the states have laws that ban same-sex marriage and that it is still legal to discriminate based on sexual orientation in nearly half of our country.

I applaud Sen. Collins for once again taking a leadership position in trying to bring supporters from both sides of the aisle on this issue and standing up for LGBTQ rights. This bill will keep protecting the individual freedoms of all Americans while keeping the Supreme Court in check.

Kerri Bickford,
Topsham

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