Today, Congressman Jerrold Nadler (NY-10), a veteran member of the House Judiciary Committee and author of the “Respect for Marriage Act,” the bill to repeal the “Defense of Marriage Act” (DOMA), released the following statement in response to today’s decisions by the U.S. Supreme Court:

“I applaud today’s action by the Supreme Court to decline review of the pending marriage equality cases in Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin, and I join in true celebration with the many couples who will no longer face harsh discrimination against their families.  While today’s decisions will pave the way for marriage equality for many same-sex couples, still far too many lesbian and gay people are being denied the basic right to marry the person they love. This incomplete, but important, step in the march toward justice for same-sex couples is also yet another reminder that Congress must act to ensure full marriage equality. Congress must pass the ‘Respect for Marriage Act,’ which would repeal the so-called ‘Defense of Marriage Act’ in its entirety and ensure that couples who have entered into the lifelong commitment of lawful marriage are treated equally under Federal law regardless of where they live.”

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