President Joe Biden signed the Respect For Marriage Act into law on Tuesday at a celebration featuring performances by Cyndi Lauper, Sam Smith, and Joy Oladokun. The Respect For Marriage act will protect same-sex and interracial marriages across the US. It will also protect against a scenario in which the Supreme Court were to overturn the 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision, which legalized same-sex marriages in the US, as Associate Justice Clarence Thomas suggested he would like to see happen after the overturning of Roe V. Wade.

“Today, America takes a vital step toward equality, toward liberty and justice, not just for some, but for everyone,” Biden said at the ceremony, which was held on the South Lawn of the White House. “Toward creating a nation where decency, dignity, and love are recognized, honored and protected.”

Lauper also spoke at the White House briefing room: “I came here because I wanted to say thank you to President Biden, Speaker [Nancy] Pelosi, Vice President [Kamala] Harris and all the advocates on his team. For once, our families — mine and a lot of my friends and people you know, sometimes your neighbors — we can rest easy tonight because our families are validated.”

She added: “Now, we’re allowed to love who we love, which sounds odd to say, but Americans can now love who we love. Bless Joe Biden and all the people that worked on this for allowing people not to worry and their children not to worry about their future.”