Rep. Steny Hoyer Comes Out For Marriage Equality
Source: Think Progress
Democratic House Whip Steny Hoyer (D-MD) is adding his voice to the growing chorus of lawmakers endorsing marriage equality following President Obamas historic declaration that gay and lesbian couples should have the freedom to marry. I have believed that the phrase civil union was an appropriate definition of a relationship that is both different and the same between two people of the same sex. And I have believed strongly that such couples must be treated equally under the law, he says:
Because I believe that equal treatment is a central tenet of our nation, I believe that extending the definition of marriage to committed relationships between two people, irrespective of their sex, is the right thing to do and will not, in any way, undermine the institution of marriage so important to our society nor impose a threat to any individual marriage. It will, however, extend the respect due to every one of our fellow citizens that we would want for ourselves and our children.
Since Obama announced his support on Wednesday, Sens. Jack Reed (D-RI) and Harry Reid (D-NV) have also backed the LGBT community and the Senate Health, Education, Labor & Pensions Committee announced that it will take up the Employment Nondiscrimination Act (ENDA) on June 12.
Read more: http://thinkprogress.org/lgbt/2012/05/10/482369/hoyer-marriage/
maddezmom
(135,060 posts)to come to the same conclusion.
JitterbugPerfume
(18,183 posts)I hope others follow his example!
Ikonoklast
(23,973 posts)...
props where they're due.
Skittles
(153,164 posts)David__77
(23,419 posts)Hoyer is just sensitized to the possibility of finding himself outside of the Democratic mainstream. He already was, which is why he lost his leadership bid against Pelosi way back when... His brand of "centrist" free market economics coupled with aggressive foreign policy is antithetical to millions of Democrats. At least now he's not advocating against marriage rights.