Congressman Joe Morelle Acts to Safeguard Marriage Equality

Press Release

Today, Congressman Joe Morelle voted to enshrine marriage equality into federal law, preventing the Supreme Court from rolling back this fundamental right for LGBTQ+ couples. The Respect for Marriage Act will ensure all couples--regardless of race, gender, or sexual orientation--have an equal right to marry whoever they love.

"I refuse to stand by as the Supreme Court continues to strip Americans of the fundamental rights they hold dear--that's why today, I took action to ensure marriage equality is federally protected, no matter what," said Congressman Joe Morelle. "We have made incredible strides as a country in the fight to support and empower our LGBTQ+ community, and we won't be forced backwards by those who seek to dismantle our progress. I will always protect and defend the equal rights of all Americans, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity." 

While marriage equality remains a constitutional right, the Supreme Court has demonstrated in their shameful decision to overturn Roe v Wade their willingness to reverse years of historical precedent. Justice Thomas's concurrence went so far as to specifically call out other fundamental rights, including the right to marriage equality, as targets for future reversals. By passing the Respect for Marriage Act, the House of Representatives is taking preventative steps to protect marriage equality, regardless of any future decisions by the Supreme Court.

HR 8404, the Respect for Marriage Act will codify marriage protections for same-sex and interracial couples into federal law and expand protections by:

Requiring, for federal law purposes, that an individual be considered married if the marriage was valid in the state where it was performed; and
Prohibiting any person acting under color of state law from denying full faith and credit to an out-of-state marriage based on the sex, race, ethnicity, or national origin of the individuals in the marriage.
Providing the Attorney General with the authority to pursue enforcement actions and creating a private right of action for any individual harmed by a violation of this provision.
Repealing the discriminatory and outdated Defense of Marriage Act, which was rendered inert by the Windsor and Obergfell Supreme Court rulings guaranteeing marriage equality. Repealing this statute ensures its provisions to deny same-sex marriage will not go into effect if the Supreme Court acts to overturn the Windsor and Obergfell rulings.
"In 2011, I was honored to help pass legislation making New York State one of the first to legalize marriage equality before the nation followed suit four years later," continued Congressman Morelle. "It's shameful that the Supreme Court is threatening to take away this essential right to participate in a sacred tradition. Love is love."

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