Monday’s announcement by a bipartisan group of senators was that they had reached an agreement on revised legislation to enshrine federal marriage equality and protect religious liberty. This has allayed concerns expressed by some Republican members, who feared the measure would infringe upon religious freedom. It also opens the door for the Senate this week to consider the bill.

The five senators who were involved in the negotiations released a joint statement stating that they had created “commonsense language” to confirm that the legislation respects and protects Americans religious freedoms. However, the core purpose of the legislation to protect equality in marriage was not affected.

Senate negotiators were Tammy Baldwin, a Wisconsin Democrat, and Kyrsten Sinema, an Arizona Republican. Susan Collins, Rob Portman, and Thom Tillis, both Republicans, are from Maine, Ohio, and North Carolina. They said that the Respect for Marriage Act amendment, which was included in the bill, had helped to win broad bipartisan support to make our commonsense legislation a reality.

Soon after senators had announced their agreement, Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer filed a motion for a procedural vote in order to move the bill. This vote is expected to be held on Wednesday.

Schumer stated that no American should ever be discriminated against for the love they have. Schumer made these remarks in remarks to the Senate floor.

New York Democrat, John Sullivan, called the bill “important” and “much needed.” He said that passage of the bill is “not a theoretical exercise but as real as it can get.”

He said, “I hope that 10 Republicans will vote for us to pass marriage equality legislation soon for the sake 10s of millions of Americans.” It is vital for the rights and dignity millions of Americans.

Monday’s bipartisan amendment ensures that non-religious organizations won’t be required to provide goods, services, or facilities for the celebrations of same-sex marriages. It also protects religious liberty, conscience protections, and the Constitution and federal law including the Religious Freedom Restoration Act. The bill also clarifies that the federal government is not authorized to recognize polygamous marriage. It protects any status, such as tax-exemptions or grants or educational funding, of an entity, so long as it doesn’t arise from a marriage.

According to the bipartisan group, the amendment “recognizes and respects the importance and diversity of marriage and affirms that all couples, including those who are same-sex, have the right to dignity, stability, and ongoing protection of their marriage.”

The Respect for Marriage Act was the first legislative response of Congress to the Supreme Court’s June decision to end the constitutional right to abortion. The conservative court expressed concern that Justice Clarence Thomas might issue a concurring opinion, threatening other Supreme Court decisions defending the right to same-sex marital relations.

The bill repeals Clinton’s Defense of Marriage Act. It also safeguards interracial marriages, requiring that valid marriages be recognized regardless of their “sex, race or ethnicity.”

The measure easily passed the Democratic-controlled House in July with backing from 47 Republicans, and several GOP senators expressed support for the plan, raising its prospects of clearing the 60-vote threshold needed to advance legislation in the Senate.

Some Republicans raised concerns that the House bill would infringe upon religious liberty. The bipartisan group of senators began to work together to create an amendment that would address these concerns.

To increase support for the bill that protects religious liberty and clear the way for it to be approved by the Senate, Senate Majority leader Chuck Schumer agreed in September, to postpone the vote until after the midterm election, which took place last week.

The Senate will pass the marriage equality bill along with the amendment. If that happens, the House must retake the legislation.