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Bringing Marriage Equality to Maine

Floor Speech

Date: Feb. 9, 2012
Location: Washington, DC
Issues: Civil Liberties and Civil Rights Marriage Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Ms. PINGREE of Maine. Mr. Speaker, in my State of Maine, there are thousands of couples in loving, committed relationships. They share homes and they raise children together. They remain committed to each other through the ups and downs of life, but because they are same-sex couples, they are denied the right to honor their love and commitment to each other through marriage.

This fall, Maine will have a chance to change that and to join a growing list of States around the country that are setting aside discrimination and granting all couples the same right to get married.

We've made progress here in Congress on ending discriminatory practices like ``Don't Ask, Don't Tell,'' but it will be up to us in Maine to bring marriage equality to our State. This is an issue of basic human rights and equal treatment under the law, and I am confident we'll do the right thing.


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