[Congressional Record (Bound Edition), Volume 161 (2015), Part 8]
[House]
[Page 10327]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office, www.gpo.gov]




                      AFFIRMING MARRIAGE EQUALITY

  (Mr. GALLEGO asked and was given permission to address the House for 
1 minute.)
  Mr. GALLEGO. Mr. Speaker, I rise today in support of affirming 
marriage equality and providing equal protection guarantees to LGBT 
Americans throughout our country. Mr. Speaker, the overwhelming 
majority of the American public supports marriage equality. They know 
that same-sex couples should have access to dignity and security that 
only marriage can provide.
  In 37 States in our Nation, this is already a reality. Today, more 
than 70 percent of our population live in jurisdictions where they are 
free to marry whom they love. However, at this very moment, marriage 
discrimination is still openly practiced in 13 States, taking away the 
securities and protections, financial and otherwise, that many 
Americans have, but not our LGBT Americans.
  Make no mistake, Mr. Speaker; the failure or prohibition to recognize 
and allow same-sex couples to marry is discrimination. The fight for 
marriage equality for our LGBT brothers and sisters is one of the great 
civil rights battles of our lifetime, and it continues through our 
tireless efforts to achieve full equality under the law for all.
  A positive Supreme Court decision on marriage is an important step 
towards ending the discrimination that too many American families are 
suffering because of where they live and whom they love. Mr. Speaker, 
it is the year 2015. It is well past time we end the discrimination 
against our LGBT Americans.

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