To the Members of the Democratic Party Platform Drafting Committee:
The Democratic Party has a noble history of fighting for the human and civil rights of all Americans.
We, the undersigned, believe it is time for the party to hold true to this record and add to the legacy by taking a stand in support of the freedom to marry for all loving and committed couples.
We urge you to affirm the freedom to marry in the Democratic Party by including this plank in the platform discussion of families:
The Democratic Party supports the full inclusion of all families in the life of our nation, with equal respect, responsibility, and protection under the law, including the freedom to marry. Government has no business putting barriers in the path of people seeking to care for their family members, particularly in challenging economic times. We support the Respect for Marriage Act and the overturning of the federal so-called "Defense of Marriage Act," and oppose discriminatory constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny the freedom to marry to loving and committed same-sex couples.
Read the full letterFreedom to Marry is proud to have the support of the following leaders, elected officials, and organizations in our efforts to include a freedom to marry plank in the 2012 Democratic Party platform.
Elected Officials
| Joe Baca | US Representative (CA) |
| Tammy Baldwin | US Representative (WI) |
| Karen Bass | US Representative (CA) |
| Xavier Becerra | US Representative (CA) |
| Michael Bennett | US Senator (CO) / Obama Co-Chair |
| Shelley Berkley | US Representative (NV) |
| Howard Berman | US Representative (CA) |
| Richard Blumenthal | US Senator (CT) |
| Barbara Boxer | US Senator (CA) |
| Sherrod Brown | US Senator (OH) |
| Lois Capps | US Representative (CA) |
| Ben Cardin | US Senator (MD) |
| Judy Chu | US Representative (CA) |
| John Conyers | US Representative (MI) |
| Chris Coons | US Senator (DE) |
| Susan Davis | US Representative (CA) |
| Keith Ellison | US Representative (MN) / Co-Chair, Congressional Progressive Caucus |
| Anna Eshoo | US Representative (CA) |
| Sam Farr | US Representative (CA) |
| Russ Feingold | Former US Senator |
| Diane Feinstein | US Senator (CA) |
| Bob Filner | US Representative (CA) |
| Al Franken | US Senator (MN) |
| Kirsten Gillibrand | US Senator (NY) |
| Charles Gonzalez | US Representative (TX) / Obama Co-Chair |
| Raul Grijalva | Co-Chair of Congressional Progressive Caucus |
| Janice Hahn | US Representative (CA) |
| Tom Harkin | US Senator (IA) |
| Kamala Harris | Attorney General of California / Obama Co-Chair |
| Martin Heinrich | US Representative (NM) |
| Mike Honda | US Representative (CA) |
| Steve Israel | US Representative (NY) |
| John Kerry | US Senator (MA) |
| Frank Lautenberg | US Senator (NJ) |
| Carl Levin | US Senator (MI) |
| Zoe Lofgren | US Representative (CA) |
| Doris Matsui | US Representative (CA) |
| Jim McDermott | US Representative (WA) |
| Jerry McNerney | US Representative (CA) |
| Bob Menendez | US Senator (NJ) |
| Jeff Merkley | US Senator (OR) |
| Barbara Mikulski | US Senator (MD) |
| George Miller | US Representative (CA) |
| Patty Murray | US Senator (WA) |
| Jerrold Nadler | US Representative (NY) |
| Grace Napolitano | US Representative (CA) |
| Gavin Newsom | Lieutenant Governor (CA) |
| Annise Parker | Mayor of Houston, TX |
| Nancy Pelosi | US Representative (CA) / House Democratic Leader |
| Jared Polis | US Representative (CO) |
| Mike Quigley | US Representative (IL) |
| Laura Richardson | US Representative (CA) |
| Lucille Roybal-Allard | US Representative (CA) |
| Linda Sanchez | US Representative (CA) |
| Loretta Sanchez | US Representative (CA) |
| Jan Schakowsky | US Representative (IL) / Obama Co-Chair |
| Adam Schiff | US Representative (CA) |
| Eric Schneiderman | Attorney General of New York |
| Chuck Schumer | US Senator (NY) |
| Jeanne Shaheen | US Senator (NH) / Obama Co-Chair |
| Brad Sherman | US Representative (CA) |
| Jackie Speier | US Representative (CA) |
| Pete Stark | US Representative (CA) |
| Mike Thompson | US Representative (CA) |
| Mark Udall | US Senator (CO) |
| Chris Van Hollen | US Representative (MD) |
| Antonio Villaraigosa | Mayor of Los Angeles, CA / Chair of 2012 DNCC |
| Maxine Waters | US Representative (CA) |
| Henry Waxman | US Representative (CA) |
| Sheldon Whitehouse | US Senator (RI) |
| Lynn Woolsey | US Representative (CA) |
| Ron Wyden | US Senator (OR) |
Select Prominent Democrats
| Howard Dean | Former DNC Chairman/ Former Governor of VT |
| Maria Elena Durazio | Los Angeles AFL-CIO leader/ Obama Co-Chair |
| Donald Fowler | Former DNC Chairman |
| Steve Grossman | Former DNC Chairman/ MA State Treasurer |
| Caroline Kennedy | Attorney/Author |
| Joe Solmonese | Executive Director, HRC/ Obama Co-Chair |
| Emily Tisch Sussman | Executive Director, Young Democrats of America |
| Elizabeth Warren | Democratic Candidate for US Senate, Massachusetts |
| David Wilhelm | Former DNC Chairman |
State Party Chairs
| John Burton (CA) |
| Jay Jacobs (NY) |
| Ken Martin (MN) |
| Boyd Richie (TX) |
| Meredith Wood Smith (OR) |
| Mike Tate (WI) |
| Joan Wagnon (KS) |
| John Walsh (MA) |
| John Wisniewski |
Organizations
Human Rights CampaignNational Gay & Lesbian Task Force
National Stonewall Democrats
To the Members of the Democratic Party Platform Drafting Committee:
The Democratic Party has a noble history of fighting for the human and civil rights of all Americans.
We, the undersigned, believe it is time for the Party to hold true to this record and add to the legacy by taking a stand in support of the freedom to marry for all loving and committed couples.
We urge you to affirm the freedom to marry in the Democratic Party by including this plank in the platform discussion of families:
The Democratic Party supports the full inclusion of all families in the life of our nation, with equal respect, responsibility, and protection under the law, including the freedom to marry. Government has no business putting barriers in the path of people seeking to care for their family members, particularly in challenging economic times. We support the Respect for Marriage Act and the overturning of the federal so-called "Defense of Marriage Act," and oppose discriminatory constitutional amendments and other attempts to deny the freedom to marry to loving and committed same-sex couples.
Numerous national polls have shown that a majority of Americans support marriage for same-sex couples. And Democrats overwhelmingly support the freedom to marry, with polls showing as much as 70% support. You are uniquely positioned to stand with the majority of Americans, and the super-majority of the party, and help make a real difference for families across the country.
We hope the Drafting Committee will fulfill its responsibility to uphold the Party's proud commitment to liberty, equality, and justice for all.
Thank you for helping to put an end to marriage discrimination in this country.
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