Congressman Lowenthal Releases Official Statement on Supreme Court Ruling on DOMA & California's Prop 8

Statement

Congressman Alan Lowenthal [CA-47] issued the following statement in response to the United States Supreme Court's ruling on the unconstitutionality of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and the decision to vacate California's 9th Circuit Court of Appeals initial ruling on California's Proposition 8, restoring marriage to LGBT couples in California:

"The Supreme Court's decision to uphold equality for all Americans, especially my constituents and friends in California, starts to close a dark chapter in our nation's journey to ensure equal protection under the law. This is the kind of protection and judicial action all Americans deserve.

"The unconstitutionality of DOMA and Prop 8 further proves the shifting mindsets of the American people. I applaud the Supreme Court for their decisions, and I wish to congratulate all of our LGBT citizens and equal rights advocates for showing no fear in the face of discrimination.

"Despite these successes, I am committed to working with the Administration to strengthen federal protections for couples living in states that do not recognize their marriages; the federal government must ensure that these couples receive the federal recognition and respect that they deserve. Although this was a huge win, the fight for true equality for all Americans still pushes on."

Congressman Alan Lowenthal is a member of the House LGBT Equality Caucus, and recently organized the NOH8 Campaign's photo shoot: "NOH8 on The Hill". This year, the NOH8 photo shoot boasted a record-setting 67 Congressional participants from the House and two members of the Senate, all taking a stand for marriage equality. This year's event brought the total number of "NOH8 On The Hill" Congressional participants over the past three years to 100.

Earlier this year, the Congressman also became the first member of Congress to publicly display the iconic Pride Flag outside of his Washington, D.C. and Long Beach offices, according to the House Historian.

Congressman Lowenthal is a freshman Democrat, representing the cities of Long Beach, Lakewood, Signal Hill, Rossmoor, Los Alamitos, Cypress, Garden Grove, Westminster, Buena Park, Stanton, and Avalon in California's 47th District.

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