Senator Menendez Applauds Supreme Court's Decision Supporting Marriage Equality

Statement

U.S. Senator Robert Menendez (D-NJ) today applauded the historic Supreme Court's decision in Obergefell v. Hodges which ruled that same sex marriage bans are unconstitutional.

"This is a tremendous day for the LGBT community, their families, and their friends who have stood beside them," said Senator Menendez. "The Supreme Court has ended one of the blatant forms of discrimination that keep loving families apart based solely on who they love and where they live. This decision brings us closer to our nation's promise of equal rights for all, and this victory belongs to those who can now marry who they love across America."

He added: "However, today's victory does not mean that the fight is over. Already we are seeing efforts to categorically deny LGBT individuals protections against unjust firings, unlawful evictions, or even refused service in restaurants. I will continue to work with the LGBT community and allies to put common sense protections in place to ensure that no person is discriminated against based upon who they are."

Senator Menendez is a cosigner of the Congressional brief urging the Supreme Court to strike down same-sex marriage bans as violating the equal protection guarantee. He previously cosigned the Congressional brief in U.S. v. Windsor urging the Supreme Court to strike down the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act. In addition, Senator Menendez has been a consistent supporter of the Respect for Marriage Act, the Employment Non-Discrimination Act, and the Student Non-Discrimination Act.

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