[Congressional Record Volume 168, Number 191 (Thursday, December 8, 2022)]
[House]
[Pages H8855-H8856]
From the Congressional Record Online through the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]




                      PROTECTING MARRIAGE EQUALITY

  (Ms. JACOBS of California asked and was given permission to address 
the House for 1 minute.)
  Ms. JACOBS of California. Mr. Speaker, this summer I officiated my 
brother's wedding, and it was one of the proudest moments of my life.
  The love that Dylan and Kay share is incredibly special and deserves 
to be celebrated, recognized, and protected.
  That is why I am so grateful to have voted for the Respect for 
Marriage Act, to honor their marriage and so many other marriages that 
have been created and affirmed in the 7 years since the landmark 
Obergefell ruling. This means so much not only to my family, but to the 
LGBTQ+ communities in San Diego and across the country.
  This bill will take the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act off 
the books, so it no longer poses an existential threat to LGBTQ+ 
families.
  It will protect marriage equality so that a valid marriage in one 
State is recognized by all other States. Importantly, it will protect 
kids from discriminatory State laws and ensure that LGBTQ+ families can 
stay together.

[[Page H8856]]

  With the passage of this bill, our government is finally catching up 
to the American people. This is long overdue, but it is no less 
meaningful for my brother and sister-in-law and hundreds of thousands 
of other LGBTQ+ marriages across the country.

                          ____________________