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REP. MIKE THOMPSON STATEMENT ON SUPREME COURT MARRIAGE EQUALITY RULINGS

June 26, 2013
U.S. Rep. Mike Thompson (CA-5) today released the following statement on the United States Supreme Court's rulings on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and Proposition 8.

“Today, the Supreme Court took a stand for equal justice under the law, ruling that laws that deny equality are immoral, unjust and unfair. This is a giant step forward, but we must continue working until every American has the right to marry whoever they love no matter where you live.”

In a 5-4 ruling the Supreme Court struck down DOMA, a law passed by Congress in 1996 that denied federal benefits to legally married gay couples. Justices Anthony Kennedy, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer, Sonia Sotomayor and Elena Kagan constituted the Court's majority. Dissenting were Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia, Clarence Thomas and Samuel Alito.

In a 5-4 ruling, the Supreme Court issued a procedural ruling that said the people who brought the Proposition 8 case to the court had no legal standing to do so. The ruling allows a lower court decision striking down Proposition 8 to take effect, clearing the way for same sex marriage to resume in California. Chief Justice John Roberts and Justices Antonin Scalia, Ruth Bader Ginsburg, Stephen Breyer and Elena Kagan constituted the Court's majority. Dissenting were Justices Anthony Kennedy, Clarence Thomas, Samuel Alito and Sonia Sotomayor.

Congressman Mike Thompson is proud to represent California's 5th Congressional District, which includes all or part of Contra Costa, Lake, Napa, Solano and Sonoma Counties. He is a senior member of the House Ways and Means Committee and the House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence. Rep. Thompson is also a member of the fiscally conservative Blue Dog Coalition and chairs the bipartisan, bicameral Congressional Wine Caucus.

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