WASHINGTON, DC - Congressman Jim Himes (CT-4) issued the following statement today as the Supreme Court begins hearing arguments in the Obergefell v Hodges marriage equality case. This March, he joined 210 Democrats from the House and Senate in filing an amicus brief with the Court in support of a constitutional right to marry.
“Less than two years ago, the Supreme Court righted a terrible historical wrong and overturned the Defense of Marriage Act. As a proud, lifelong supporter of marriage equality, I have been so pleased to witness same-sex couples marrying in more and more states across the country since the Windsor decision.
“But discriminatory state marriage bans still prevent thousands of committed same-sex couples from enjoying the same rights and benefits as their fellow Americans. And states with these laws continue to ignore legal marriages that were performed in places like Connecticut, which has helped lead the way on equality. I joined my Democratic colleagues to file an amicus brief calling on the Supreme Court to throw out these unconstitutional bans that deny the right to marry to so many. I am hopeful the Court will both rule in favor of countless loving couples across the United States and be on the right side of history by recognizing full marriage equality nationally.”