Hoyer Joins Amicus Brief on Marriage Equality Cases

House Democratic Whip Steny H. Hoyer (MD) today joined a bicameral amicus brief in the marriage equality cases that are on appeal to the United States Supreme Court.

"I am proud to join an amicus brief in the marriage equality cases soon to be argued before the Supreme Court," said Whip Hoyer. "Same-sex couples ought to have all the same rights, benefits, and recognition that marriage confers. When the Court struck down a key part of the discriminatory DOMA law in 2013, it recognized this right on the federal level. It should be no different on the state level as well."

From the brief's summary:

"In thirty-seven States and the District of Columbia, gay and lesbian couples can marry. Over 250,000 such couples--representing more than half a million people--have done so. Many amici hail from these States; others come from States that have yet to include same-sex couples in their marriage laws. Regardless of where we come from in this nation, we all recognize the importance of the federal-state partnership in safeguarding American families. This partnership is strongest when families are not wrongly excluded from the vast array of marriage-based rights and responsibilities. That is why many of us argued against the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) as amici in United States v. Windsor and why we participate as amici here... But no matter the standard applied, the state bans are unconstitutional and impair federal interests and the interests of our constituents."

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