Today, the Supreme Court affirmed that all loving and committed couples who marry deserve equal legal respect and treatment.This is an enormous victory and a joyous day for loving, married couples and their families – and for equal justice under the law. 

DOMA’s two-tiered system for marriage was a radical departure from the way in which our country had always treated marriage. It forced the federal government to pick and choose among marriages and discriminate against some families, creating a “gay exception” that caused pain, uncertainty, and financial harm. 

For thousands of married lesbian and gay couples, today’s ruling means that they can better protect one another and their children because they will finally be included in the federal safety net.  

With this decision adding to the momentum for marriage, we will continue working to win the freedom to marry, pursuing the same strategy that has brought us to this historic day: winning marriage in more states and growing the majority support for marriage across the country.