Today, the Supreme Court of the United States handed down its highly anticipated decisions in U.S. v. Windsor and Hollingsworth v. Perry.  In the case of U.S. v. Windsor, the Justices struck down the so-called Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), the 1993 policy that denies married same-sex couples equal protection under the law.  In Hollingsworth v. Perry, the Court let stand the landmark Federal District Court ruling striking down Proposition 8.

In response to these decisions, Rebecca Isaacs, executive director of Equality Federation, the campaign to win equality in all fifty states, released the following statement:

“DOMA’s two-tiered system for marriage was a radical departure from the way in which our country had always treated marriage. It forced the federal government to pick and choose among marriages and discriminate against some families, creating a ‘gay exception’ that caused pain, uncertainty, and financial harm.

The DOMA decision is an enormous victory that brings about a joyous day for loving, married couples and their families.  Today, the Supreme Court affirmed that all loving and committed couples who marry deserve equal legal respect and treatment.

In another historic victory, the ruling on Prop 8 means the swift restoration of the freedom to marry in California. Now same-sex couples can legally marry in 13 states and Washington, DC, and more than 93 million Americans – nearly a third of the country – live in a jurisdiction with marriage for all families.

While this is a joyous day for loving couples in the states with marriage equality, 37 states still treat gay and lesbian citizens and their children as unequal and second-class.

To be sure, today’s victories add momentum to efforts to win marriage in all fifty states.  But our work continues.  The Supreme Court itself has stated 14 times that marriage is a fundamental right; by winning more states and more hearts and minds, we will create the climate for making that case again before the Court – be it before these or other justices – and winning the freedom to marry nationwide.”