1Recognizing June 26, 2014, as the one-year anniversary of the
2United States Supreme Court decisions leading to the freedom
3to marry for gay couples in Pennsylvania.

4WHEREAS, On June 26, 2013, the United States Supreme Court
5struck down section 3 of the Defense of Marriage Act of 1996
6(Public Law 104-199, 1 U.S.C. § 7), which denied legally married
7same-sex couples over 1,100 protections and responsibilities of
8marriage; and

9WHEREAS, The United States Supreme Court has affirmed that
10all loving and committed couples who marry deserve equal legal
11respect and treatment; and

12WHEREAS, United States District Court Judge John E. Jones III
13struck down Pennsylvania's ban on same-sex marriage on May 20,
142014; and

15WHEREAS, The struggle for equality among lesbian, gay,
16bisexual and transgender people is the modern face of the Civil
17Rights Movement; and

18WHEREAS, Pennsylvania has often been a proud leader in

1recognizing basic human rights and in fighting against
2discrimination; and

3WHEREAS, Pennsylvania law requires that equal rights shall
4not be denied on account of the sex of any person; therefore be
5it

6RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives support the
7continued fight for equality for all people by recognizing the
8need to extend equal protections in employment, housing and
9public accommodations to everyone, regardless of sexual
10orientation, gender identity or expression; and be it further

11RESOLVED, That the House of Representatives commemorate the
12right of gay couples to marry in this Commonwealth and across
13the United States on the one-year anniversary of the United
14States Supreme Court decisions in the freedom-to-marry cases and
15in recognition of the removal of the Commonwealth's ban on same-
16sex marriage, which ended the two-tiered system of marriage and
17provided additional legal protections to same-sex couples.