Palazzo Disappointed With Supreme Court Defense of Marriage Rulings

Washington, DC – Congressman Steven Palazzo (MS-04) released the following statements regarding the Supreme Court’s rulings today on the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) and California’s marriage law, Proposition 8 (Prop 8). In a 5-4 decision, Justices Kennedy, Ginsburg, Breyer, Sotomayor and Kagan ruled to strike portions of DOMA that previously prohibited the federal government from recognizing marriages outside of unions between one man and one woman.  The Court declined to rule on the merits of Prop 8 on the basis that representatives of the state were not defending it in court. The Court’s refusal to rule in the case allows a lower court’s decision to stand, essentially overturning the law.

“Marriage and family are the time-tested institutions that make up the very building blocks of our society. Today’s rulings raise new questions and fail to settle these matters, either legally or in the hearts and minds of many Americans. The Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) was intended to both affirm and protect the rights of states like Mississippi to set their own marriage policies. Under this ruling, Mississippi will be able to continue exercising that right. While I am extremely disappointed with today’s decisions, this does nothing to redefine marriage nationwide.”

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