U.S. Senator Tammy Baldwin (D-WI) and Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA) reintroduced their resolution to designate June 26, as “LGBT Equality Day,” honoring the anniversary of three significant victories won at the U.S. Supreme Court for lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) Americans.
“America
should celebrate the progress we have made to pass on to the next
generation a country that is more equal, not less equal. But we cannot
mistake our progress for
victory,” said Senator Baldwin.
“We have more work to do in the march for fairness, freedom and full
equality for the LGBT community. I believe America is ready to take the
next steps forward and together we will break
down barriers so that every American has an equal opportunity to dream
the same dreams, chase the same ambitions, and have the same shot at
success.”
“In
the last two decades, our nation has seen the Defense of Marriage Act
overturned, the decriminalization of loving LGBT couples and now
nationwide marriage equality —
all through Supreme Court decisions handed down on June 26,” Congresswoman DelBene said.
“But even as same-sex couples enjoy the right to marry in all 50
states, LGBT people continue to face violence, inequality and
discrimination simply for who they
are and who they love. Our resolution designates the 26th of June as
‘LGBT Equality Day’ not only to celebrate how far we’ve come, but also
to acknowledge how much work remains to be done.”
During
the past two decades, the U.S. Supreme Court has issued three landmark
rulings on the 26th of June that helped eliminate LGBT discrimination,
affirm the dignity of
same-sex couples and move our country toward a more perfect union:
·
Lawrence v. Texas
(June 26, 2003). Fourteen years ago, the Court ruled on June
26, that states could no longer criminalize the private intimate
conduct of same-sex couples, invalidating hateful and discriminatory
laws in more than a dozen states.
·
United States v. Windsor
(June 26, 2013). Four years ago, the Court overturned
Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on June 26, and ruled
that legally married same-sex couples deserve all of the rights,
benefits and protections provided by marriage under federal law.
·
Obergefell v. Hodges (June 26, 2015).
Two years ago,
the
Court ruled on June 26, that same-sex couples have a constitutional
right to marry, putting the United States on the right side of history
and ending marriage discrimination once
and for all.
Senator Baldwin and Congresswoman DelBene’s
resolution
is cosponsored
by more than 150 members of Congress and is supported by the Human
Rights Campaign, the National LGBTQ Task Force Action Fund and the
Congressional LGBT Equality Caucus.