{"database": "press", "table": "releases", "rows": [["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-votes-protect-marriage-equality-amid-right-wing", "Congressman Troy Carter Votes to Protect Marriage Equality Amid Right-Wing Threats", "2022-07-19", "2022", "2022-07", "Democrat", "House", "LA", "Troy A. Carter", "C001125", "troycarter.house.gov", "troycarter", "https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases", "scraper", "WASHINGTON, D.C. \u2013 In response to continued right-wing threats to Louisianians personal liberties, Congressman Troy A. Carter, Sr. today voted to enshrine marriage equality into federal law. The Respect for Marriage Act will officially repeal the Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), a defunct and discriminatory statute excluding same-sex couples from marriage under federal law. This legislation will also codify new protections ensuring that no married couple can be denied protections and benefits under federal law based on sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.\n\nCongressman Carter has been a longstanding supporter the rights of minorities and the LGBTQ community. In 1993 as a State Representative he sponsored legislation to ban discrimination of people based on their sexual orientation, and he has continued to be a strong ally of the LGBTQ+ community.\n\n\u201cToday, I proudly voted to protect marriage equality in Louisiana and across the country,\u201d said Congressman Carter. \u201cWith its decision overturning Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court\u2019s Republican-appointed supermajority tossed out nearly 50 years of legal precedent and severely weakened the Constitutional right to privacy. Now, right-wing extremists are leading a cruel assault on even more of American most cherished and hard-won freedoms \u2013 including the right to marry the person they love. The bipartisan, bicameral Respect for Marriage Act will enshrine marriage equality into federal law and prohibit state officials from discriminating against same-sex and interracial couples.\u201d\n\nFollowing the Supreme Court\u2019s heart-wrenching decision overturning Roe v. Wade, right-wing extremists have set their sights on other rulings upholding basic rights and freedoms. In his concurring opinion, Justice Clarence Thomas explicitly called for the Court to consider overturning other landmark rulings, including the Obergefell v. Hodges decision recognizing the Constitutional right to marriage equality.\n\nThe Respect for Marriage Act will take several steps to combat this assault on our freedoms:\n\nEnshrining Marriage Equality into Federal Law: This legislation will require the federal government to fully recognize any marriage considered valid in the state where it was performed \u2013 providing same-sex and interracial couples additional certainty that they will continue to receive equal treatment under federal law.\n\nRepealing the Defense of Marriage Act: While the Supreme Court has effectively voided the Defense of Marriage Act, this unconstitutional and discriminatory federal law remains on the books. The Respect for Marriage Act would repeal this statute once and for all.\n\nBarring Discrimination by State Officials: This legislation prohibits state officials from denying recognition of an out-of-state marriage on the basis of sex, race, ethnicity or national origin.\n\n\u201cThis legislation is a key step forward in House Democrats\u2019 fight against the right-wing assault on freedom,\u201d continued Congressman Carter. \u201cI have been working to protect the rights of minorities and the LGBTQ+ community for decades, and I won\u2019t stop now. I remain fully committed to preserving the rights and dignities of every person, everywhere.\u201d\n\nThe Respect for Marriage Act is strongly supported by leading advocacy organizations, including the ACLU, Center for American Progress, Equality Federation, Family Equality, Freedom for All Americans, GLAD, Human Rights Campaign, Lambda Legal, National Black Justice Coalition, National Center for Lesbian Rights, National Women\u2019s Law Center and PFLAG.", 1, "2026-03-30T01:40:41Z", "2026-04-08T02:49:02Z"]], "columns": ["url", "title", "date", "year", "month", "party", "chamber", "state", "member_name", "bioguide_id", "domain", "scraper", "source", "date_source", "text", "has_text", "collected_at", "updated_at"], "primary_keys": ["url"], "primary_key_values": ["https://troycarter.house.gov/media/press-releases/congressman-troy-carter-votes-protect-marriage-equality-amid-right-wing"], "units": {}, "query_ms": 1.48732028901577, "source": "dwillis/congress-press", "source_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press", "license": "MIT", "license_url": "https://github.com/dwillis/congress-press/blob/main/LICENSE"}