FORIMMEDIATE RELEASE: August 2, 2012
Michael Cole-Schwartz
HRC Releases Comprehensive Survey ofCongressional Positions on Marriage Equality
First-of-its-kind resource shows Congressbehind public on marriage for gays and lesbians
Washington – Today theHuman Rights Campaign – the nation's largest lesbian, gay, bisexual andtransgender civil rights organization – released a comprehensive survey of themarriage equality positions of Members of Congress. The new resource,available online at www.hrc.org/resources/entry/your-elected-officials,combines Members’ marriage positions with their record on other critical LGBTissues in one searchable database.
Support for marriage equality willalso be noted in HRC’s Congressional Scorecard published in the fall.
“As amajority of Americans have come to support the ability of loving and committedgay and lesbian couples to marry, they rightfully want to know whether theirelected officials share that fair-minded view,” said HRC President ChadGriffin. “Many Members of Congress are commendably with the public, butCongress is always a lagging indicator. It’s time for more of our leadersto get on the right side of history.”
Amongboth the House and Senate, 181 members support marriage equality (34percent). 234 have made statements against (44 percent) and 122 have anunclear or unknown position (23 percent). 36 Senators and 145Representatives support marriage equality with 52 Senators and 182Representatives opposed.
All100 Senators, 431 sitting Representatives and 6 Delegates were asked whether ornot they agreed with this statement: “Gay and lesbian couples should not bedenied the ability to pledge their love and commitment through the civilinstitution of marriage. I believe that two committed adults of the same sexshould be able to receive a government-issued marriage license, while religiousinstitutions retain their right to determine which marriages they willperform,” or alternatively provide an unambiguous statement supporting marriageequality.
HRC supplemented that survey with other publicly availablestatements. Members who did not respond or whose positions are unclearare labeled as such.
AmongDemocrats, support is at 72 percent with 9 percent opposed and 19 percentunclear or unknown. Only one Republican in Congress supports marriageequality – Rep. Ileana Ros-Lehtinen of Florida. Support is strongest inthe East (58 percent) and the West (51 percent) and weakest in the Midwest (25percent) and the South (15 percent). In states where gay and lesbiancouples can marry, 69 percent of Senators and Representatives support marriageequality while 17 percent are opposed. And in the four states facingmarriage-related ballot measures in November, 56 percent of leaders aresupportive of marriage equality with 21 percent opposed.
Nationally,support for marriage equality among the public is at 54 percent accordingto a June 2012 CNN poll. While marriages are performed on a statelevel, federal elected officials play a role in the marriage equality debateincluding efforts to repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act barringthe federal government from recognizing legally married same-sex couples. Additionally some Member of Congress continue to advocate for a FederalMarriage Amendment that would write discrimination into the Constitution andbar loving and committed gay and lesbian couples from marriage in any state.
TheHuman Rights Campaign is America's largest civil rights organization working toachieve lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender equality. By inspiring andengaging all Americans, HRC strives to end discrimination against LGBT citizensand realize a nation that achieves fundamental fairness and equality for all.
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