Protecting Marriage Equality

Floor Speech

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Ms. JACOBS of California. Mr. Speaker, this summer I officiated my brother's wedding, and it was one of the proudest moments of my life.

The love that Dylan and Kay share is incredibly special and deserves to be celebrated, recognized, and protected.

That is why I am so grateful to have voted for the Respect for Marriage Act, to honor their marriage and so many other marriages that have been created and affirmed in the 7 years since the landmark Obergefell ruling. This means so much not only to my family, but to the LGBTQ+ communities in San Diego and across the country.

This bill will take the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act off the books, so it no longer poses an existential threat to LGBTQ+ families.

It will protect marriage equality so that a valid marriage in one State is recognized by all other States. Importantly, it will protect kids from discriminatory State laws and ensure that LGBTQ+ families can stay together.

With the passage of this bill, our government is finally catching up to the American people. This is long overdue, but it is no less meaningful for my brother and sister-in-law and hundreds of thousands of other LGBTQ+ marriages across the country.

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