[Congressional Record Volume 157, Number 43 (Tuesday, March 29, 2011)]
[Extensions of Remarks]
[Pages E537-E538]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                ``JIM LANGEVIN SPEAKS OUT FOR FAIRNESS''

                                 ______
                                 

                           HON. BARNEY FRANK

                            of massachusetts

                    in the house of representatives

                        Tuesday, March 29, 2011

  Mr. FRANK of Massachusetts. Mr. Speaker, our colleague, the gentleman 
from Rhode Island, Mr. Langevin, recently wrote a cogent, heartfelt 
article published in the Providence Journal calling on his former 
colleagues in the Rhode Island Legislature to allow people of the same 
sex to marry. That is, Representative Langevin urges that his State 
join those that allow individuals who love someone of the same sex to 
have that love treated with the respect--and legal equality--that it 
deserves.
  As our colleague notes, he has for some time felt that civil unions 
were the appropriate forum in which people of the same sex could 
express their love for each other in a legally

[[Page E538]]

recognized way, but as he ``realized that their union would not be 
treated the same way under the law'' as opposite-sex couples, he 
``began to see that civil unions fell short of the equality I believe 
that same-sex couples deserved.''
  Jim Langevin has long been an articulate advocate for equality under 
the law for all citizens, and his urging ``all Rhode Islanders to honor 
our State's founding principles of tolerance and freedom'' is an 
example of his courageous commitment to that principle for all people.
  Mr. Speaker, I ask that Jim Langevin's compelling argument on behalf 
of the legalization of same-sex marriage be printed here.

              [From the Providence Journal, Mar. 5, 2011]

       Jim Langevin: Now Is the Time To Redefine Marriage in R.I.

                           (By Jim Langevin)

       Throughout my career in public service, I have strongly 
     opposed discrimination based on sexual orientation at both 
     the state and federal level, co-sponsoring the Employment 
     Non-Discrimination Act and hate crimes legislation, and 
     supporting efforts to repeal the military's ``don't ask, 
     don't tell'' policy.
       While those topics have been controversial, they never 
     elicited the intensely passionate and emotional debate that 
     occurred as our nation began struggling with the question of 
     same-sex marriage. For many years, I supported civil unions 
     as a reasonable way to achieve consensus on a divisive issue, 
     providing rights and protections to same-sex couples while 
     respecting the deeply held beliefs of those not comfortable 
     with the idea of marriage rights.
       Then, three years ago, I attended the commitment ceremony 
     of a longtime staff member and his partner of nine years. 
     Before their friends and family, they professed their love, 
     commitment and respect for each other. Their sentiments were 
     just as moving, heartfelt and sincere as any of the vows I 
     had heard at other weddings, yet I realized that their union 
     would not be treated the same under the law. That difference 
     struck me as fundamentally unjust, and I began to challenge 
     the wisdom of creating separate categories of rights for 
     certain groups of citizens. I began to see that civil unions 
     fell short of the equality I believed that same-sex couples 
     deserved.
       As the debate about same-sex marriage continues in Rhode 
     Island and in Washington, I have taken time to reflect 
     carefully on my own position. Based on my own experiences and 
     my firm belief that all Americans should be treated equally 
     under the law, I am now convinced that affording full 
     marriage equality rights to same-sex couples is the only fair 
     and responsible approach for both Rhode Island and the 
     nation. If our nation expects to provide equal protection to 
     all, then our civic institutions must reflect that noble 
     goal.
       As a U.S. representative, I take seriously my 
     constitutional responsibility to protect the rights and 
     liberties of our citizens. Marriage equality is consistent 
     with that view because it safeguards basic civil rights and 
     provides appropriate legal protections so that all loving and 
     committed couples may care for each other. At the same time, 
     our nation's fundamental freedom of religion dictates that 
     religious institutions should be allowed to define marriage 
     as they deem appropriate. The marriage-equality legislation 
     before the General Assembly respects the important separation 
     of church and state by not requiring religious institutions 
     to change any of their practices or standards relating to 
     marriage.
       The members of the General Assembly now have a historic 
     opportunity. As a former member of that body, I understand 
     the challenges they face, but this is a time for leadership.
       During my time as a state representative, I remember 
     talking with my father about pending legislation to prevent 
     discrimination based on sexual orientation, which was highly 
     controversial at the time. While I greatly valued his 
     thoughtful and balanced perspective, my father was certainly 
     no social activist. He was just an ordinary man who had grown 
     up through the civil-rights movement and always believed it 
     was fundamentally unjust to treat people differently because 
     of their race. When I told him I had decided to support the 
     non-discrimination legislation, he expressed his pride in my 
     decision because it showed that I viewed issues of fairness 
     and justice as he did. And he was convinced that, in the same 
     way racial discrimination became a shameful part of our 
     history, one day our nation would look back in disbelief at a 
     time when we denied our fellow citizens basic civil rights 
     based on their sexual orientation. I now believe that day is 
     within our reach.
       As the General Assembly considers this important topic, I 
     ask lawmakers and all Rhode Islanders to honor our state's 
     founding principles of tolerance and freedom and to support 
     marriage equality in our state. It's time to do the right 
     thing.

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