Chicago Mayor Rahm Emanuel and Illinois
Governor Pat Quinn on Thursday applauded passage of a gay marriage
bill in the Illinois Senate.
After
roughly two hours of debate, senators approved the measure with a
34-21 vote and sent it to the House for further consideration.
“I commend the #IL Senate for passing
the #MarriageEquality bill today,” Quinn tweeted to his more than
7,500 followers. “Full equality for all people is right for IL.”
“The freedom to marry the person you
love is one that should be afforded to all citizens and, for too
long, has been denied to our gay and lesbian brothers and sisters,”
Emanuel said in a statement. “When two people love each other, no
government entity should stand in the way of letting them express
that love. It is time that our laws reflect our values and I am so
proud that on this Valentine's Day, the Illinois Senate has voted to
approve gay marriage. I commend Senator Heather Steans and
Representative Greg Harris for their work on this and I urge the
Illinois House to take up this bill in the same bi-partisan fashion.”
UPDATE: Quinn's office sends us his
full statement.
“Today, we are one step closer to
marriage equality in Illinois,” Quinn wrote.
“Couples across Illinois have even
more reason today to celebrate their love for each other, thanks to
the hard work of committed advocates and lawmakers. This historic
legislation will strengthen our state by allowing all committed
couples to enjoy the same legal protections and benefits of
marriage.”
“The Senate took a stand for equal
rights for all people. I urge the House of Representatives to pass
this legislation so that we can ensure Illinois is a welcoming place
for everyone.”
“Full equality for all people is
right for Illinois.”