Leaders in our region react to Respect for Marriage Act

BURLINGTON, Vt. (WCAX) - Lawmakers in our region are celebrating Tuesday’s signing of the Respect for Marriage Act.

President Biden signed the new law to ensure that same-sex marriage will be recognized in every state.

“As the first openly LGBTQ+ woman to represent Vermont in Congress, this day means so much to me. When my wife Elizabeth and I were first married, we had to have the Justice of the Peace perform a Civil Union because Civil Marriage for same-sex couples was not yet legal in Vermont. To see how far not just Vermont but the entire country has come since then makes me so proud,” said Vermont Congresswoman-elect Becca Balint.

“This new bipartisan law will finally repeal the outdated, discriminatory law known as DOMA and ensure the federal government treats all marriages equally,” Gov. Kathy Hochul, D-New York, said in a statement.

“Enshrining marriage equality as the law of the land shows millions of couples - and the youngest generation of Americans - that their love is cherished in our democracy,” Sen. Maggie Hassan, D-New Hampshire, said in a statement.

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