The Sconi

U.S. Sen. Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) has no regrets about taking the position she has on the Respect for Marriage Act, which easily passed the Senate this week.

“Whether it’s a family member, a friend, or a staffer we all know someone who is in a same-sex or interracial marriage,” Baldwin tweeted. “That’s why I’m working across party lines to ensure their marriages are protected.”

Passed by the Senate in a final vote count of 61-36, the Respect for Marriage Act stands to replace the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), which defined marriage as between one man and one woman. DOMA set the foundation for states to refuse the recognition of same-sex marriages performed in other states.

Under the Respect for Marriage Act, marriage equality would become a federal law, with marriage between same-sex- and interracial couples also being legally protected across the country. While states will still not be required to issue marriage licenses to same-sex couples, The Washington Post reported that those unions would be legally recognized and protected, even in cases where they were performed in other states.

Baldwin was first elected to the Senate in 2013, and her current term runs through 2025. Before being elected to her Senate seat, she served six years in the Wisconsin State Assembly and six terms in the U.S. House of Representatives from 1999 to 2013.