Marriage

Legislation to overturn the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) Progresses

October 13, 2009 -- WASHINGTON, D.C. – Today, on the heels of the National Equality March in Washington, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Congresswoman Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Congressman Jared Polis (D-CO) celebrated the 101th co-sponsor of their bill, the Respect for Marriage Act. This landmark legislation would repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a 1996 law which discriminates against lawfully married same-sex couples.    » read more »

Washington, DC - 10/09/2009 - A new report based on a recent national survey by the Pew Research Center's Forum on Religion & Public Life and the Pew Research Center for the People & the Press finds that a clear majority of Americans favor allowing gay and lesbian couples to enter into legal agreements with each other that would give them many of the same rights as married couples, a status commonly known as civil unions.

This finding marks a slight uptick in support for civil unions and appears to continue a significant long-term trend since the question was first asked in Pew Research Center surveys in 2003, when support for civil unions stood at 45%.    » read more »

June 4, 2009 -- (Washington, D.C.) - U.S. Senator Jeanne Shaheen today congratulated New Hampshire Governor John Lynch on signing same-sex marriage legislation into law.

"I congratulate Governor Lynch and the state legislature on advancing a marriage equality bill that also protects religious freedom. New Hampshire has a long history of leadership on issues of civil rights and equality, and I'm proud our state continues to lead the way in ending discrimination with this bill signing today."

As Governor, Shaheen signed legislation making New Hampshire only the 10th state in the country to include sexual orientation in its anti-discrimination laws. She also enacted legislation to repeal a ban on gays and lesbians from adopting children or serving as foster parents.    » read more »

05/26/2009 -- California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today issued the following statement after the California Supreme Court issued its ruling on Proposition 8:

“While I believe that one day either the people or courts will recognize gay marriage, as Governor of California I will uphold the decision of the California Supreme Court.

"Regarding the 18,000 marriages that took place prior to Proposition 8’s passage, the Court made the right decision in keeping them intact. I also want to encourage all those responding to today’s Court decision to do so peacefully and lawfully.”

Source: California Governor

May 14, 2009 -- CONCORD - New Hampshire Governor John Lynch released the following statement today regarding same-sex legislation in New Hampshire:

“The gay marriage debate in New Hampshire has been filled with passion and emotion on all sides.

“My personal views on the subject of marriage have been shaped by my own experience, tradition and upbringing. But as Governor of New Hampshire, I recognize that I have a responsibility to consider this issue through a broader lens.    » read more »

May 13, 2009 -- The proportion of births to unmarried mothers in the United States has risen steeply over the past few decades, consistent with patterns in other countries, a report from CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics shows.

In March, CDC reported that about 4 in 10 births in the United States in 2007 were to unmarried mothers. While a great deal of focus has been placed on births to unmarried teens, 6 out of 10 births to women between the ages of 20 and 24 were among unmarried women in 2007.    » read more »

Marriage Equality Legislation Will End Legal Discrimination Against Same-Sex Couples; Bill Recognizes Fundamental Civil Right of Marriage

April 16, 2009 -- New York Governor David A. Paterson today introduced landmark civil rights legislation that will end legal discrimination against same-sex couples in New York State. The Governor’s marriage equality Program Bill recognizes the fundamental civil right of marriage and would grant same-sex couples the same legal recognition afforded to partners of the opposite sex. The Governor was joined by New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg, federal, state and local lawmakers, and prominent advocates to make the announcement.    » read more »

16 June 2008 -- Thousands of same-sex couples are expected to wed in California following the state's Supreme Court ruling that overturned a ban on gay marriage.

State officials will issue the first marriage licenses at 5pm local time.

In a four to three decision in May, the California Supreme Court ruled against a voter-approved law that restricted marriage to a man and woman.

The court said the state constitution's guarantee of equal rights gives same-sex couples the right to marry.

California voters will have a chance to overturn the court ruling in November when they vote on a proposed constitutional amendment to limit marriage to a man and a woman.

Twenty-seven U.S. states have amended their constitutions to limit marriage to a union between a man and a woman.    » read more »

29 May 2008 -- New York Governor David Paterson is directing state agencies to recognize same-sex marriages legally performed in other states and countries, though the practice is not legal in New York.

The directive issued earlier this month orders agencies, such as those that regulate health care and insurance, to update their rules to accommodate gay couples.

Paterson's office based the order on a February state court ruling that said New York must recognize the marriage of a woman and her female partner who wed in Canada.    » read more »

May 15, 2008 -- Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today issued the following statement on the California Supreme Court decision to overturn the state's anti-marriage ban:

"The Supreme Court of California today took a step forward in the long march toward protecting equal rights under the law for every American. This should not be a matter of politics or partisanship; it is a matter of protecting the rights and dignity of all American families."

Source: DNC

Aug 30, 2007 -- Boston, MA – Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued the following statement on the court decision striking down Iowa's Defense of Marriage Act:

"The ruling in Iowa today is another example of an activist court and unelected judges trying to redefine marriage and disregard the will of the people as expressed through Iowa's Defense of Marriage Act. This once again highlights the need for a Federal Marriage Amendment to protect the traditional definition of marriage as between one man and one woman."

Source: Mitt Romney campaign

Says we need to rebuild the family, not redefine marriage

August 31, 2007 -- DES MOINES – U.S. Senator Sam Brownback, the nation's leading defender of traditional marriage, commented today on an Iowa judge's decision to redefine marriage to include same-sex unions:    » read more »

Aug 27, 2007 -- “While I am focused on the safety and welfare of Arkansas’s children, there does not appear to be an imminent crisis that requires calling the legislature into a special session for the Arkansas marriage age law. Additional legislation will eventually be needed to fix the drafting error that was made in this bill.

However, the legislature clearly intended to protect children, not put them at risk. Historically, the courts, and especially the Arkansas Supreme Court, have repeatedly used common sense in cases where bill-drafting errors have created absurdities.    » read more »

Jun 14, 2007 -- Boston, MA - Today, Governor Mitt Romney issued the following statement on the Massachusetts State Legislature's failure to approve the Marriage Amendment:

"Today's vote by the State Legislature is a regrettable setback in our efforts to defend traditional marriage. Unfortunately, our elected representatives decided that the voice of the people did not need to be heard in this debate.    » read more »

June 14, 2007 -- Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean today issued the following statement on the overwhelming vote in the Massachusetts legislature to defeat a discriminatory, anti-marriage constitutional amendment:    » read more »