Same-Sex Marriage Faces Senate Test With GOP Votes Uncertain

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer will hold a test vote Wednesday on a bill to protect same-sex and interracial marriages nationwide.

Staring down the prospect of divided government in the next Congress, Senate Democrats are moving forward with legislation this week to protect same-sex and interracial marriages. It's a vote that's "as personal as it gets," Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer said.

Schumer is holding a test vote on the bill Wednesday, betting that at least 10 Republicans will vote with all 50 Democrats to move forward with the legislation to ensure that same-sex and interracial marriages are legally recognized nationwide. The bill has gained steady momentum since the Supreme Court's June decision that overturned Roe v. Wade and the federal right to an abortion. An opinion at that time from Justice Clarence Thomas suggested that an earlier high court decision protecting same-sex marriage could also come under threat.

If the Senate votes to move forward with the legislation, a final vote could come as soon as this week, or by the end of the month, while Democrats still control the House. Republicans are on the verge of winning the House majority and would be unlikely to take up the issue next year.