Putin visits Iran, Pelosi to visit Taiwan, House to vote on marriage bill

Putin visits Iran – Russian President Vladimir Putin began just his second trip abroad since the Ukraine invasion began on Tuesday. The trip is to Iran, where Putin is scheduled to meet with Iran’s President Ebrahim Raisi and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The three leaders are expected to deepen ties and shore up support for Russia amid its invasion of Ukraine.

The meeting comes at a time fears are growing in the west regarding Iran’s ability to produce a nuclear bomb. Over the weekend, a top Iranian official said Iran “has the technical means” to so.

Pelosi plans visit to Taiwan – The Financial Times reported House Speaker Nancy Pelosi will visit Taiwan next month. Pelosi and her delegation will also visit Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia and Singapore.

While neither the State Department nor Taiwan’s foreign ministry immediately confirmed the trip. China responded Tuesday, as Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhao Lijian said the visit would “seriously undermine China’s sovereignty and territorial integrity.”

“If the U.S. side obstinately clings to this course, China will definitely take resolute and forceful measures to firmly defend its national sovereignty and territorial integrity,” Lijian said. “The United States must be fully responsible for all the consequences caused by this.”

Bill to protect same-sex marriages – The House is set to vote to protect same-sex and interracial marriages with a vote on the Respect for Marriage Act Tuesday. The vote comes less than a month after the Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, which sparked concerns that other rights enjoyed by countless Americans may be in jeopardy.

“Three weeks ago, a conservative majority on the Supreme Court not only repealed Roe v. Wade and walked back 50 years of precedent, it signaled that other rights, like the right to same-sex marriage, are next on the chopping block,” Rep. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), who introduced the bill, said in a Monday statement. “As this Court may take aim at other fundamental rights, we cannot sit idly by as the hard-earned gains of the Equality movement are systematically eroded.”

Tuesday’s vote in the House is part political strategy setting up an election year roll call that will force all lawmakers, Republicans and Democrats, to go on the record with their views on the high-profile social issue. It’s also part of the legislative branch asserting its authority, pushing back against an aggressive court that appears intent on revisiting many settled U.S. laws.

The Associated Press contributed to this article.