LTE From Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi

Dear fellow Californians and Americans: I understand how you feel about love. And marriage. I understand that you feel it should not be restricted because of one's sexual orientation. Love is limitless, and I understand that. Coming from a district with a large LGBTQ population, the matter of marriage equality is of great importance to me. That is why I addressed this issue in my Recognition of Marriage Act of 2015. There has been great progress in many states across the country, and now 37 states allow same sex marriage. But there are still parts of the country that don’t recognize love the same way. In those states where it is not legal, same sex marriages performed in states where it is legal are not always recognized. This can cause burdens and setbacks for spouses and families in these states, and undermines the meaning of marriage itself. The Recognition of Marriage Act of 2015 seeks to remove this ability of states to refuse recognition by requiring them to recognize same-sex marriage completed in one state, by another state. In this way the distinction of freedom and equality America so prides itself on shall be preserved. Though HR 42 is currently in a holding pattern in the Domestic Committee, I am doing all I can to ensure it makes it to the Committee agenda, and, hopefully with bipartisan support, to the House Floor. I implore all of my fellow supporters of unrestricted love and acceptance, to write to their representatives and request support for this bill. Your representatives need to know how you feel, they need to know what you, the people, want. I also request any and all responses to my own position so I can answer questions and continue the conversation with you all as well. Please respond at the email lamccoy@westmont.edu. Thank you, and God Bless, Congresswoman Nancy Pelosi, CA-12th