WASHINGTON, Dec. 8 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. Congress approved a bill on same-sex marriage on Thursday and sent it to the White House.

The House of Representatives passed the Respect for Marriage Act in a 258-169-1 vote, a week after it went through the Senate.

U.S. President Joe Biden said previously that he would sign the measure, which will cement federal protections for same-sex marriage, when it arrived on his desk.

The legislation was introduced this summer after a conservative Supreme Court justice signaled that rulings on marriage equality and contraception should be reconsidered.