Statement by Congressman Dan Kildee on Sixth Circuit Ruling on Gay Marriage

Congressman Dan Kildee issued the following statement after the Sixth Circuit upheld gay marriage bans in Michigan, Ohio Kentucky and Tennessee:

“While I am disappointed in today’s ruling by the Sixth Circuit, I know in the long view of history it will only be a small setback in the ultimate pursuit of equality. As Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. said, ‘the arc of the moral universe is long, but it bends towards justice.’

“Today’s ruling stands contrary to over two dozen recent court rulings in favor of marriage equality. From trial courts to federal appeals courts, judges across our nation have reached the same conclusion: that marriage is a fundamental right that cannot be denied to same-sex couples. Yet Michigan Governor Rick Snyder and Attorney General Bill Schuette continue their ideological crusade against loving Michigan families at taxpayer’s expense.

“With today’s ruling, the U.S. Supreme Court should immediately take up the issue of marriage equality, as I am confident that the U.S. Constitution affords every Michigander and American the right to marry whom they choose. Love is love, and equality will ultimately prevail.”