Respect for Marriage Act Heads to President Biden’s Desk

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
Contact: Mattie Goldman, [email protected]

WASHINGTON — Maya Wiley, president and CEO of The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights, released the following statement on the historic passage of the Respect for Marriage Act as it heads to President Biden’s desk for signature:

“Like many people in this country, the passage of this critical civil rights legislation is personal to me. My parents, a Black man and White woman, got married in 1961 before Loving v. Virginia, the landmark SCOTUS case that struck down laws banning interracial marriage. My daughter is a lesbian — and yes, she deserves to live and love and marry like I can.

“This bill leaves the harmful legacy of the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) behind and sends the message to LGBTQ and interracial couples everywhere that their marriages will be protected. Everyone should have the right to be with the person they love, and we look forward to President Biden signing this landmark legislation into law, and making it clear to the Supreme Court where this country stands on marriage equality.”

The Leadership Conference sent a letter to Senate leadership in November highlighting urgent legislative priorities before the end of the year, including passage of the Respect for Marriage Act.

The Leadership Conference on Civil and Human Rights is a coalition charged by its diverse membership of more than 230 national organizations to promote and protect the rights of all persons in the United States. The Leadership Conference works toward an America as good as its ideals. For more information on The Leadership Conference and its member organizations, visit www.civilrights.org.

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