Today, Rep. Joe Crowley (D-Queens, the Bronx), issued the following statement in response to the Supreme Court's decisions to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and to dismiss an appeal on California's Proposition 8, an initiative that took away the right for same-sex partners to marry in California, meaning a lower court's earlier decision to strike down Proposition 8 stands and the right of Californians to marry is restored.
"Today's decisions are a monumental step forward in the fight for civil rights in this country and reflect not only how far our nation has come, but also that discrimination based on sexual orientation has absolutely no place in the laws and policies of our country. Every American should have the right to marry the person they love, and I am thrilled Californians now join New Yorkers and the residents of 11 other states and the District of Columbia who enjoy the right of marriage equality.
"While there is much to celebrate today, our pursuit of equality and justice will not end here. We will continue to fight until all American families are viewed equally under the law."