And welcome to meet the press now. I'm Ryan Nobles. And you're looking live at the White House,

where Vice President Kamala Harris and President Biden are about to deliver remarks and sign the

Respect for Marriage Act into law, codifying federal protections for same-sex and

interracial marriages for the first time in U.S. history.

This historic legislation passed in bipartisan fashion in both chambers of Congress was

led by Senator Tammy Baldwin of Wisconsin, the first openly gay person

elected to the United States Senate. It, of course, comes off the heels of the June Supreme

Court decision to overturn Roe v. Wade, where in a concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas

called for the court to revisit other landmark decisions, including on same-sex marriage.

Several of the plaintiffs who are part of that landmark 2015 ruling on marriage equality

are attending today's celebration at the White House alongside other LGBTQ activists.

Today's sounding also marks the full evolution of the president's own views.

It comes a decade after the then vice president

Biden notoriously became the first to publicly support same-sex marriage ahead of his boss,

President Obama. It was our 2012 appearance on Meet the Press, and he was pressed on his

changed views on the issue, and we're going to show you that in a moment.

First of all, let's go right to the White House. That's where NBC's Mike Memole is standing by.

So Mike, obviously, this ceremony just underway, but what do we expect to hear from the president

at today's celebration? Well, Ryan, President Biden likes to quote,

Seamus Heaney and talk about how hope and history rhyme.

And it really is worth underlining President Biden's role in getting us to this point where he's about to sign into law,

legislation codifying the productions not just for same-sex couples to marry, but also interracial couples to marry.

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