A bill that would codify same-sex and interracial marriage into federal law surpassed the Senate's 60-vote threshold during a procedural on Wednesday, setting the stage for final passage of the legislation later this week.
The vote tally was 62-37, with 12 Republicans joining every Democrat in support.
The bill, entitled the "Respect for Marriage Act," was first passed by the Democratic-controlled House in July amid concerns that the Supreme Court's overturning of Roe v. Wade in June might put marriage equality at risk as well.
In a concurring opinion to that ruling, which ended 50 years of a constitutional right to an abortion, conservative Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that the precedent underpinning same-sex marriage — which was legalized by the Court in the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges ruling — should be "reconsidered" as well.