WASHINGTON – U.S. Senator Ben Cardin (D-Md.) issued the following statement:

“The Supreme Court of the United States today reaffirmed that equality is an inherently American value that should not be denied or taken away from anyone. Love is love. The 14th Amendment to the Constitution guarantees the ‘equal protection of the laws’ to all people, and also provides that one’s liberty cannot be deprived without ‘due process of law.’ The Supreme Court correctly interpreted these two provisions today.

“In 2013, the justices struck down Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act, which defined marriage as a union between one man and one woman. Only two years later, an incredible 70 percent of Americans live in a state where loving, same-sex couples can enjoy all the legal rights and responsibilities of marriage. Thanks to the landmark Obergefell v. Hodges decision, I look forward to seeing that number jump quickly so that all loving couples will be respected under the law throughout our nation.”

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