Republican members of the Rhode Island
Senate unanimously support a proposed bill legalizing gay marriage in
the state.
The 5 GOP lawmakers made their
endorsement just hours before the state's Senate Judiciary Committee
is expected to hold a vote on the measure.
“Today we join the 209 other
Republican state legislators across America who have stood up for the
freedom to marry,” the state's Senate Republican caucus said in a
statement on Tuesday. We are “deeply committed to the values of
freedom, liberty and limited government. In accordance with those
values, we believe that freedom means freedom for everyone, and that
every citizen of Rhode Island deserves the freedom to marry the
person they love.”
“We support Senate Bill 38 because it
rightfully extends the civil aspects of marriage to all Rhode
Islanders while protecting the freedom of religion our state was
founded upon.”
“Gay and lesbian couples deserve to
be treated equally under the law, and at the same time churches,
synagogues and mosques in our state must be free to exercise their
faith and their sacraments as they see fit. We recognize that there
is a national consensus building on this generational issue, and we
are glad that support for the freedom to marry is growing within the
Republican Party,” they added.
Tyler Deaton, campaign manager of Young
Conservatives for the Freedom to Marry, a group of mostly Republicans
who back marriage equality, applauded the move.
“Today's showing of support
illustrates the irreversible shift in Republicans' understanding of
why marriage matters to same-sex couples and their families,”
Deaton said in a statement. “Same-sex couples want to marry for
the same reasons as anyone else – to take vows in front of their
loved ones, to protect their families, and to share in the
responsibilities that marriage brings. As the Republican Party
continues to evolve, these elected officials’ united stance sends a
clear message to the rest of the GOP: stand on the side of marriage
and the right side of history.”
The measure cleared the House in
January.