CPC Co-Chairs: Supreme Court Decisions Fulfill Promise in Constitution

Statement

Congressional Progressive Caucus Co-Chairs Reps. Raúl M. Grijalva (D-AZ) and Keith Ellison (D-MN) released the following statement after the Supreme Court overturned the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and invalidated a challenge to a lower-court ruling on Proposition 8, allowing same sex marriage to resume in the state of California:

"We celebrate today's decision by the Supreme Court to respect the right of all Americans to marry who they love. The road to today's victories started 44 years ago at the Stonewall Inn in Greenwich Village, where the gay community made a public stand against institutional discrimination. Since that day, LGBT Americans have worked tirelessly for equal rights under the law. The decisions made by the Supreme Court today reaffirm those rights and move our country closer to fulfilling the promise in our Constitution of equal rights for all.

"While today's rulings were a positive step forward, yesterday's Supreme Court decision to weaken the Voting Rights Act endangers voting rights and is a troubling step backward. We should celebrate the victory for marriage equality by working together to defend the voices of millions of Americans who may face increased discrimination at the polls after yesterday's decision. Senator Harry Reid has already vowed that the Senate will act quickly to fix the problems created by yesterday's ruling. The House should follow his lead as soon as possible."

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