DeGette Joins Colleagues To Introduce Respect For Marriage Act

Press Release

DeGette Joins Colleagues To Introduce Respect For Marriage Act

U.S. Rep. Diana DeGette today joined her colleagues as an original cosponsor of the Respect for Marriage Act, which repeals the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA). The measure was introduced in the House of Representatives today by U.S. Reps. Jerrold Nadler (D-NY), Tammy Baldwin (D-WI), Jared Polis (D-CO), John Lewis (D-GA), Nydia Velazquez (D-NY), and Barbara Lee (D-CA), with a total of 88 original cosponsors.

"The Respect for Marriage Act will repeal a discriminatory and disrespectful measure that does not live up to ‘equality for all' that is protected under the U.S. Constitution," said DeGette. "We must respect the rights of all Americans who seek to form loving, committed relationships regardless of their sexual orientation. I am proud to be an original sponsor of this much-needed and long-overdue legislation."

The Respect for Marriage Act would ensure that valid marriages are respected under federal law, providing couples with much-needed certainty that their lawful marriages will be honored under federal law and that they will have the same access to federal responsibilities and rights as all other married couples. This measure would repeal the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act that currently singles out same-sex couples for discriminatory treatment under federal law, selectively denying them critical federal responsibilities and rights, including Social Security and other important programs.

U.S. Rep. DeGette is Vice Chair of the Equality Caucus, a bipartisan caucus that represents different races, genders, sexual orientations, geographic regions, different generations, and parties, but shares a common mission: to promote lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) equality.

Source