Contact:
Michael Newberger
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WASHINGTON, D.C. – The American Federation of Government Employees is proud to support the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act in the United States Senate. The bill will federally recognize same-sex and interracial marriages and the right of same-sex and interracial couples to marry. After its passage in the Senate, it will now be voted on in the U.S. House.
“On behalf of the over 280,000 federal workers who make up our union, including our union family in the LGBTQI+ community, we strongly support the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act,” said AFGE President Everett Kelley. “Love is love, and we commend the members of the United States Senate who supported this legislation. We encourage the members of the United States House to make the right decision and support this fundamental freedom.”
“This legislation is absolutely vital to the protection of the rights of my fellow members of the LGBTQI+ community, as well as our union family members in interracial marriages. It’s not lost on me that the right for same-sex couples to marry has to be codified into law by the legislative and executive branches, despite the Obergefell decision in 2015,” said Jeremy Lannan, the first openly gay man to hold the position of Vice President for Women and Fair Practices at AFGE.
“Generations of our LGBTQI+ family struggled to win this fundamental right, one that was not freely given. It took decades of fighting to achieve the right for LGBTQI+ Americans to partner with those they love. The fact that this could be taken away in an instant, especially during a nationwide rise of homophobic and transphobic violence and prejudice, proves just how much further we have to go as a country. The Respect for Marriage Act’s passage in the Senate is a step in the right direction, and we call on the members of the United States House to join us in building an America where everyone can love who they love, be who they are, and feel safe and respected while doing so.”
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