Massachusetts Congressman Barney Frank
on Monday confirmed that a Democratic Party platform draft included a
gay marriage plank.
Frank, a member of the platform
drafting committee, said the addition was unanimously approved by the
committee. The committee will finalize the platform at a meeting
next month in Detroit. Democrats meeting in Charlotte on September 3
will vote on the platform.
In March, Freedom to Marry launched its
Democrats:
Say I Do campaign to promote a marriage equality plank in the
platform. More than 42,000 Democrats have joined the campaign,
including Democratic National Convention chair Antonio
Villaraigosa, House Minority Leader Nancy
Pelosi, U.S. Senate candidate Elizabeth
Warren and nearly two dozen U.S. senators.
Marc Solomon, national campaign
director of Freedom to Marry, who testified in front of the drafting
committee in support of such language, applauded the move in a
statement.
“We are grateful for the Platform
Drafting Committee’s unanimous vote to include the freedom to marry
in its draft of the Democratic Party platform,” Solomon said. “As
I testified to the Committee on Friday, the Democratic Party has a
noble history of fighting for the human and civil rights of all
Americans. We are proud that the Committee is including language
that will ensure the Party is leading the way forward in supporting
marriage for loving and committed same-sex couples and their
families.”