Press Releases

Today, Congresswoman Suzan DelBene (D-WA) introduced a resolution to recognize June 26 as “LGBTQ Equality Day” across the United States. The resolution honors the anniversary of three landmark Supreme Court victories for LGBTQ Americans.

“Since 2003, our nation has seen the LGBTQ community win momentous Supreme Court victories, three of which were handed down on June 26. Those victories include the decriminalization of same-sex couples, overturning of the Defense of Marriage Act, and marriage equality in all 50 states. Yet even with these monumental decisions, the LGBTQ community still faces violence, discrimination, and inequality. By enshrining June 26 as LGBTQ Equality Day, we are declaring that discrimination will not be tolerated, and that love will always win,” said Congresswoman DelBene.

During the past two decades, the Supreme Court has issued three landmark rulings on the 26th of June that helped eliminate LGBTQ discrimination, affirm the dignity of same-sex couples and move our country toward a more perfect union:

• Lawrence v. Texas (June 26, 2003). Sixteen years ago, the Court ruled on June 26, that states could no longer criminalize the private intimate conduct of same-sex couples, invalidating hateful and discriminatory laws in more than a dozen states.
• United States v. Windsor (June 26, 2013). Six years ago, the Court overturned Section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) on June 26, and ruled that legally married same-sex couples deserve all of the rights, benefits and protections provided by marriage under federal law.
• Obergefell v. Hodges (June 26, 2015). Four years ago, the Court ruled on June 26, that same-sex couples have a constitutional right to marry, putting the United States on the right side of history and ending marriage discrimination once and for all.

DelBene’s resolution currently has 132 cosponsors. The full text of the resolution is attached.