Same Sex Marriage Quiz for your Member of Congress: Do you support marriage equality?
Read here the same sex marriage quotes of Members of Congress who say: Yes I do!
This page is kept here only for historical purposes. After the July 2012 platform of the Democratic Party added full LGBT equality (including marriage), there is no more point of updating this information since most members of Congress support marriage equality.
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At least
90 Members of the US House and the US Senate say:
Yes I Do! Here is partial list of gay marriage quotes of Congress and quotes from all 21 sitting US Senators who support marriage equality:
CALIFORNIA
HOUSE MINORITY LEADER NANCY PELOSI (D)
"Proposition 8 has taken away individual rights and freedoms, and is a stain upon the California Constitution. We
must continue to fight against discriminatory marriage amendments and
work toward the day when all American families are treated equally." (Source)
SENATOR BARBARA BOXER (D)
"Prop 8 is a statewide ballot initiative that would put discrimination against same-sex couples into the California State Constitution. It is unfair, unnecessary, and wrong." (Source)
SENATOR DIANNE FEINSTEIN (D)
"The views of Californians on this issue have changed over time, and as a state, I believe we should uphold the ability of our friends, neighbors, and co-workers who are gay and lesbian to enter into the contract of marriage," (Source)
CONGRESSWOMAN BARBARA LEE (D)
"Loving and committed same-sex couples should have the right to get married, receive legal recognition of their marriage in the eyes of the government, and exercise all the legal benefits associated with their marriage." (Video Source)
CONGRESSWOMAN JACKIE SPEIER (D)
"Marriage equality is perhaps the most profound civil rights issue of our generation" (Source)
CONGRESSWOMAN KAREN BASS (D)
CONGRESSMAN XAVIER BECERRA (D)
CONGRESSWOMAN LOIS CAPUANO (D)
CONGRESSWOMAN JUDY CHU (D)
CONGRESS WOMAN ANNA ESHOO (D)
CONGRESSMAN JOHN GARAMENDI (D)
CONGRESSWOMAN JANICE HAHN (D)
CONGRESSMAN MIKE HONDA (D)
CONGRESSWOMAN ZOE LOFGREN (D)
CONGRESSWOMAN LAURA RICHARDSON (D)
CONGRESSWOMAN LINDA SANCHEZ (D)
CONGRESSMAN ADAM SCHIFF (D)
CONGRESSMAN BRAD SHERMAN (D)
CONGRESSMAN MIKE THOMPSON (D)
CONGRESSWOMAN LYNN WOOLSEY (D)
COLORADO
SENATOR MARK UDALL (D)
"I support marriage equality. We have work to do. Let's go do it." (Video Source)
CONGRESSMAN JARED POLIS (D)
"I believe that two committed adults of the same sex should be able
to enjoy full marriage rights in the United States and that no federal,
state, or local jurisdiction should be able to deny any of the benefits
of the marriage to same-sex couples." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN ED PERLMUTTER (D)
CONNECTICUT
SENATOR RICHARD BLUMENTHAL (D)
"I'm responsible for enforcing the current law, I support it and the current law is there is a right to same sex marriage." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN JOE COURTNEY (D)
CONGRESSWOMAN ROSA DELAURA (D)
CONGRESSMAN JIM HINES (D)
CONGRESSMAN CHRIS MURPHY (D)
DELAWARE
SENATOR CHRIS COONS (D)
"The
government has no legitimate role in taking away the rights of gays and
lesbians to marry the person they love. It simply should not be
the policy of government to discriminate against any of its citizens. I
applaud the court for its decision and look forward to its review and,
hopefully, affirmation by the U.S. Supreme Court." (Source)
FLORIDA
CONGRESSWOMAN DEBBIE WASSERMAN SCHULTZ (D)
GEORGIA
CONGRESSMAN JOHN LEWIS (D)
"It is time to say forthrightly that the government's exclusion of our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters from civil marriage officially degrades them and their families. It denies them the basic human right to marry the person they love. It denies them numerous legal protections for their families."
"This discrimination is wrong. We cannot keep turning our backs on gay and lesbian Americans. I have fought too hard and too long against discrimination based on race and color not to stand up against discrimination based on sexual orientation. I've heard the reasons for opposing civil marriage for same-sex couples. Cut through the distractions, and they stink of the same fear, hatred, and intolerance I have known in racism and in bigotry." (Source)
ILLINOIS
CONGRESSMAN JESSE JACKSON JR (D)
"There are those who want to make gay and lesbian civil unions or civil marriages a moral and religious issue only...but in our secular society, religious institutions are under no moral, religious or legal obligation to perform or bless gay unions." (Source)
CONGRESSWOMAN JAN SCHAKOWSKY (D)
IOWA
SENATOR TOM HARKIN (D)
“We all grow as we get older, and we learn things and we become
more sensitive to people and people’s lives. And the
more I’ve looked at that, I’ve grown to think differently about how
people — how we should live. And I guess I’m at the point that, you
know — I’m to that point of live and let live.” (Source)
MAINE
CONGRESSWOMAN CHELLIE PINGREE (D)
"I also
support the rights of same-sex couples to obtain all the rights and
benefits of marriage -- there should not be a two-tiered system of
marriage in our country." (Source)
MARYLAND
CONGRESSWOMAN DONNA EDWARDS (D)
"I was married for a little while. I chose to be married. Then I chose
not to be. But in the state of Maryland I could. But that should be the
case for all Marylanders." (Video Source)
CONGRESSMAN JOHN SARBANES (D)
MASSACHUSETTS
SENATOR JOHN KERRY (D)
"Many of us who once believed civil unions were sufficient to protect
legal rights because we thought of marriage as a religious sacrament
between a man and a woman, have seen that no church has been forced to
do anything that contradicts its teachings. But when two committed
people apply for a Massachusetts marriage license, they are equal
whether they are gay or straight. It’s not about a word - it’s about
equality under the law."
(Source)
CONGRESSMAN BARNEY FRANK (D)
"I congratulate California's Supreme Court for recognizing that all of California's citizens are entitled to basic civil rights; and I can assure the people of the state that the result of this decision will be to improve the quality of life of tens of thousands of Californians who will now be able legally to express their love for each other, while having no negative effect whatsoever on the overwhelming majority of Californians who will choose not to marry someone of the same sex." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN JIM McGOVERN (D)
"Gays can go to City Hall...and legally get married. Eight thousand couples have done so, and everything has stayed the same in Massachusetts. Life goes on. What you are saying to those 8,000 couples is that we want to affirmatively go and take away your rights -- we want to null and void your legal rights. That is shameful; that is insulting." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN JOHN OLVER (D)
"Before millions of Americans, President Bush, who characterizes himself as a unifier, not a divider, stated his divisive belief that gay Americans do not deserve the right to marriage that all other Americans enjoy. I believe that gay and lesbian citizens should have the same rights and responsibilities as other citizens." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN MIKE CAPUANO (D)
CONGRESSMAN WILLIAM KEATING (D)
CONGRESSMAN STEPHEN LYNCH (D)
CONGRESSMAN ED MARKEY (D)
CONGRESSMAN RICHARD NEAL (D)
CONGRESSMAN JOHN TIERNEY (D)
CONGRESSWOMAN NIKI TSONGAS (D)
MINNESOTA
SENATOR AL FRANKEN (D)
"I’m pro-same-sex marriage. I think DOMA will be history soon," Franken said, adding that despite predictions that his out-front support
for same-sex marriage would sideline his Senate campaign, “it just
never became an issue." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN KEITH ELLISON (D)
"I am very concerned about the fact that voters in a number of states came out in support of Constitutional amendments banning gay marriage and civil unions. These were blows to the rights of all people. I am not gay, but when my gay neighbor suffers from discrimination, then I suffer and so does the entire community." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN TIM WALZ (D)
"And the best thing that ever happened to me was to get married and I don't see a reason to deny that to anyone. So I'm pretty consistent on that, of where government should not be in our lives." (Source)
NEVADA
CONGRESSWOMAN SHELLEY BERKLEY (D)
"It's not a matter of favoring gay
marriage. It's about discriminating against fellow Americans. I can't understand, I
can't imagine how we as Americans who believe in freedom and equality
for all could discriminate." (Source)
NEW HAMPSHIRE
SENATOR JEANNE SHAHEEN (D)
"I congratulate Governor Lynch and the state legislature
on advancing a marriage equality bill that also protects religious freedom." (Source)
NEW JERSEY
SENATOR FRANK LAUTENBERG (D)
"The government should get out of the business of telling same-sex couples in committed relationships that they can't marry. Anything else is not equality." (Source)
SENATOR ROBERT MENENDEZ (D)
"For many years, these millions of committed couples have argued that the freedom to marry — their freedom to marry — is a core civil rights issue. I now believe they are right." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN ROB ANDREWS (D)
"I support marriage equality. The recent commission report on civil unions was pivotal in my thinking. The civil union law has failed to give gay couples equal rights." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN RUSH HOLT (D)
"No marriage is made weaker because two women or two men are living together somewhere in New Jersey as a married couple." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN FRANK PALLONE (D)
"I hope the legislature now passes legislation that defines a union between same-sex couples as marriage." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN STEVE ROTHMAN (D)
"Rothman did that this week by announcing he now supports legalizing same-sex marriage. This change in position is not because Rothman had a Jim McGreevey moment; Rothman had a Dick Cheney one. One of Rothman's stepdaughters is lesbian." (Source)
NEW YORK
SENATOR KIRSTEN GILLIBRAND (D)
"I believe in marriage equality." (Video Source)
SENATOR CHUCK SCHUMER (D)
“Equality is
something that has always been a hallmark of America and no group should
be deprived of it. New York, which
has always been at the forefront on issues of equality, is appropriately
poised to take a lead on this issue.” (Source)
CONGRESSWOMAN YVETTE CLARKE (D)
"My position on same sex marriage has been consistent throughout my career in public service to the people of Central Brooklyn. I remain committed to work to ensure that all of our citizens have equal economic, civil and legal rights regardless of sexuality, gender or gender preference." (Source)
CONGRESSWOMAN CAROLYN MALONEY (D)
"I am proud to be among the growing ranks of House Members who support full marriage equality for same-sex couples." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN JERROLD NADLER (D)
"Governor Paterson's directive makes clear his commitment to provide equal treatment and protection for gay and lesbian couples that live in New York. While we remain determined to achieving full marriage equality in New York, this directive is a welcome step in the right direction. It is a strong affirmation of the simple fact that gays and lesbians deserve equal justice under the law. I applaud Governor Paterson for doing the right thing." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN TIM BISHOP (D)
CONGRESSMAN JOSEPH CROWLEY (D)
CONGRESSMAN ELIOT ENGEL (D)
CONGRESSMAN BRIAN HIGGINS (D)
CONGRESSWOMAN KATHY HOCHUL (D)
CONGRESSMAN JOSE ENRIQUE SERRANO (D)
CONGRESSMAN PAUL TONKO (D)
CONGRESSWOMAN NYDIA VELAZQUEZ (D)
OHIO
SENATOR SHERROD BROWN (D)
"In my view, there is no reason why the same
legal benefits extended to opposite sex couples
should not be extended to loving, committed
same-sex couples." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN DENNIS KUCINICH (D)
"There should be a federal law that would allow gay couples to be
married, rather than leaving the matter to the states. We cannot have
states making separate rules with respect to basic human rights." (Source)
OREGON
SENATOR JEFF MERKLEY (D)
"I support gay marriage. I support marriage equality." (Video Source)
SENATOR RON WYDEN (D)
"Last year’s repeal of 'Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell' and last week’s vote for marriage equality in New York are signs of progress." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN EARL BLUMENAUER (D)
"As someone who recently married, I feel no threat to my relationship because others may want to pursue a lifelong and legal commitment to their partner. I support same-sex couples having this right, the same as any couple." (Source)
CONGRESSWOMAN SUZANNE BONAMICI (D)
RHODE ISLAND
SENATOR SHELDON WHITEHOUSE (D)
"I support the right of states to allow same-sex marriage. It is wrong for the federal government to intervene in what has always been a state issue -- the regulation of marriage. I think it is particularly wrong to amend the Constitution to single out gay people and prevent them from exercising their rights." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN DAVID CICILLINE (D)
"I will support and work for passage of
the Respect for Marriage Act, to guarantee the rights of all lawfully
married couples, including same-sex couples, to receive the more than
1,100 federal benefits and protections of marriage under federal law." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN JAMES LANGEVINI (D)
TENNESSEE
CONGRESSMAN STEVE COHEN (D)
When in the state Senate, he was the only vote opposing the constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage. Read his positions on LGBT equality in his own words.
VIRGINIA
CONGRESSMAN JIM MORAN (D)
"He supports loving, monogamous couples getting married," said Dan
Drummond, Moran's press secretary. "He believes that if two men or two
women are in a loving relationship, who is to say they shouldn't?" (Source)
VERMONT
SENATOR PATRICK LEAHY (D)
"When Vermont passed legislation on same-sex marriage, it reaffirmed my fundamental belief we should not create second-class families who do not enjoy the protections other families have. Unfortunately this is still not the case in our Federal Government. With laws like the Defense of Marriage Act in effect, Vermont same-sex marriages are still treated differently. I believe it is time to repeal it, so that all Vermonters can be treated equally under the law." (Source)
SENATOR BERNIE SANDERS (I)
In an interview, Amy Goodman asked him, "Do you support same sex marriage?" He answered "yes." (Source)
CONGRESSMAN PETER WELCH (D)
WASHINGTON
SENATOR PATTY MURRAY (D)
“I am proud of the Washington legislature for taking this step toward
equality for gay and lesbian families. I support this important effort
and look forward to its passage.” (Source)
SENATOR MARIA CANTWELL (D)
When asked in public if marriage for gays and lesbians was on the ballot in 2012, would she
publicly support marriage for gays and lesbians. She quickly responded,
“Yes.” (Source)
CONGRESSMAN JAY INSLEE (D)
CONGRESSMAN ADAM SMITH (D)
WISCONSIN
CONGRESSWOMAN TAMMY BALDWIN (D)
"I believe in full marriage equality for gays and lesbians. Our constitutional system - the checks and balances between the three co-equal branches of government - was created to ensure the protection of minority rights, and throughout history many groups of individuals have sought such protections from their government. Today, people who want the protections of marriage laws for their same sex partnerships are petitioning their government." (Source)
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