June 26, 2013

Wyden Statement on SCOTUS Overturning DOMA

Washington – U.S. Senator Ron Wyden issued the following statement in response to the U.S. Supreme Court’s decision to strike down the Defense of Marriage Act:

“I voted against DOMA in 1996, and I’ve long said that if you don’t like gay marriage, don’t get one. Gay marriage isn’t the government’s business, and the freedom to enjoy life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness should not depend on who you choose to love. It’s important to celebrate today’s decision and the progress it signals, but after recent events it’s equally important to remember that the broader struggle to defend the civil liberties of all Americans is far from over.”

Wyden spoke in support of equal rights for gay couples during his first campaign for senate, and he was one of 14 senators who voted against DOMA in 1996. Wyden’s floor speech from the 1996 debate over DOMA can be found here.