On Tuesday, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit struck down California’s Proposition 8 and ruled it unconstitutional. The proposition, which bans same sex marriages within the state, was enacted into law in 2008. A three-person panel ruled 2-1 to affirm the trial court’s finding that Proposition 8 violates the civil rights of gays and lesbians. In response to the court’s holding, Congresswoman Judy Chu (CA-32) issued the following statement:
“I have been a strong supporter of gay marriage rights since my entire career. I applaud the Ninth Circuit Court’s ruling that California’s ban on same sex marriage is unconstitutional. This is the second court to rule against Proposition 8, and it is further validation that under the Constitution, and as a matter of fundamental fairness, the LGBT community is due the same basic human rights heterosexuals enjoy.”
“This is a tremendous victory for everyone fighting for justice and equality. And while it should be celebrated, our efforts can’t end here. The U.S. Supreme Court is likely to hear this case, and I urge the Court to defend the rights of all Americans by reaffirming today’s ruling.”
Congresswoman Chu has a long history of fighting for equal rights for the LGBT community. Her continued efforts for marriage equality earned her a 100 percent from the Human Rights Campaign in the 111th Congress.
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