Thursday, May 10, 2012

Saldaña applauds President Obama’s Stand on Marriage Equality

Saldaña applauds President Obama’s Stand on Marriage Equality


Vows to repeal DOMA

SAN DIEGO – Lori Saldaña, who co-authored California’s landmark Marriage Equality legislation, thanked President Obama for being the first American President to support marriage rights for LGBT Americans.

“Despite the setbacks for the LGBT community over the last few days, I believe this is a tipping point for marriage equality in the United States,” Saldaña said.

“For a sitting president to come forward after soul-searching and to acknowledge without reservation the right of gay and lesbian couples to marry is an important step forward.”

“I am very proud of Mr. Obama,” she said. “I believe his support will encourage more people to reconsider their position on the right of all Americans to marry.”

Saldaña signed onto Assemblyman Mark Leno’s Marriage Equality legislation immediately after being sworn in as a freshman assemblymember in 2004. The Gender Neutral Marriage Act was the first legislation of its kind to be passed by a state legislature. When Arnold Schwarzenegger vetoed the bill, Saldaña co-authored the second version in 2007. She was the only straight legislator to vote for the bill in the five counties south of Los Angeles.

Saldaña, who is now a congressional candidate, said she will upon election partner with Senators Feinstein and Boxer to repeal the Defense of Marriage Act, a federal law that allows states to discriminate against married same-sex couples.

“I will work with my colleagues in congress to repeal federal statutes like DOMA that codify discrimination,” Saldaña said. “We pioneered marriage equality in California and I will continue this work in Washington.”

For her work on LGBT equality issues, Saldaña received a 100% rating from Equality California and has been endorsed by LGBT elected officials Tom Ammiano, Mark Leno, Sheila Kuehl and LGBT civil rights leaders Nicole Murray-Ramirez and Joseph Rocha.

Former Vermont Governor Howard Dean, who signed the nation’s first civil union legislation into law, will be hosting a fundraiser for Saldaña later this month.

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