'The antidote to hate is love' - Biden signs Respect for Marriage Act

The new law provides federal recognition to same-sex marriages, a measure born out of concern that the Supreme Court could reverse its legal support of such relationships.

Cheers erupted from the crowd as Biden signed the bill.

"Marriage is a simple proposition. Who do you love? And will you be loyal to that person you love? It's not more complicated than that. The law recognizes that everyone should have the right to answer those questions for themselves," Biden said. "Today's a good day."

The event featured performances by pop icons Lauper and British singer Sam Smith.

Made famous by her 1983 song "Girls Just Want to Have Fun," Lauper, 69, said the act offered peace of mind to families like hers and Americans nationwide.

"We can rest easy tonight because our families are validated and because now we're allowed to love who we love, which sounds odd to say, but Americans can now love who we love," Lauper, an activist on LGBT issues who has been married to actor David Thornton since 1991, told reporters at a briefing prior to the performance.

"This is about respect,” House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said earlier in the event. “This is about taking pride… and it’s about time that we do so at the federal level.”

Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, whose daughter and her wife are expecting a child, called it "a day of jubilation."

The US House of Representatives on Thursday (December 8) gave final congressional approval to the legislation.

The House vote was 258-169, with all of the chamber's Democrats and 39 Republicans voting in favour - though 169 of the chamber's Republicans voted against it and one voted "present."

The legislation won the support of LGBT advocates as well as a number of religious organizations and entities including the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, though many American religious conservatives still oppose gay marriage as a counter to biblical scripture.

Reuters