Washington, DC – Today, the U.S. Senate passed the Respect for Marriage Act to enshrine and protect marriage equality for same-sex and interracial couples. The U.S. Conference of Mayors (USCM) adopted policy calling for legal protections of gay and lesbian rights by all levels of government in 1984 and policy in support of marriage equality in 2009. Earlier this month, USCM sent a letter to congressional leaders urging quick action on this priority legislation. In response to today’s passage, below is a statement by USCM CEO and Executive Director Tom Cochran and San Diego Mayor Todd Gloria, who chairs the Conference’s LGBTQ Alliance:
“Love, family, and equality are too important to abandon to chance or politics, and so the U.S. Conference of Mayors applauds the U.S. Senate for passing legislation that will protect marriage equality for same-sex and interracial couples. The Conference has long been a champion of LGBTQ rights and other civil rights, and America’s mayors do not want to see the important progress made reversed. The Respect for Marriage Act will help to assure this does not occur. We urge the House of Representatives to quickly pass legislation that accepts the changes made by the Senate so the President can sign the Respect for Marriage Act into law and love can win for good, for all, and for certain.”