Source: United States Senator for California – Dianne Feinstein
Washington—The Human Rights Campaign last week sent a letter to every senator signed by 170 companies calling on them to support the Respect for Marriage Act.
The bill, introduced by Senators Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.), Tammy Baldwin (D-Wis.) and Susan Collins (R-Maine), would repeal the discriminatory Defense of Marriage Act, enshrine marriage equality in federal law and provide additional legal protections for marriage equality.
“It’s encouraging to see such broad support from the business community for marriage equality,” Senator Feinstein said. “These companies understand that marriage equality must remain the law of the land to protect their customers and employees and their families. Unfortunately, the freedom to marry is in jeopardy after a recent Supreme Court decision. Our bill would ensure that regardless of what the court does, same-sex and interracial marriages remain protected.”
“Our businesses strongly embrace diversity and inclusion because we want everyone who works for us or does business with us to feel included and welcomed as their true, authentic selves,” the companies wrote. “Inclusive business practices improve our bottom lines and lead to more productive and engaged employees, increased customer satisfaction, and, ultimately, improved competitiveness and financial performance.
“Our employees are the foundation of our companies – they drive our ability to successfully do business, invest in communities around the country, and create the products and services we proudly offer. As business leaders committed to inclusion and equality for our employees, their families, and the communities we serve, we call on the Senate to pass the Respect for Marriage Act.”
Full text of the letter is available here, including a list of companies that signed the letter, and follows:
July 28, 2022
Dear Senators:
Together we, the signatories of this letter, write in support of the Respect for Marriage Act (H.R. 8404/S. 4556) representing a diversity of industries and brands that do business, serve customers and create jobs in nearly every community in the United States. Fairness, equal treatment, and opportunity are central to our corporate values because we care about our employees and the customers we serve. Americans from all walks of life, across demographics, geographies, and party lines agree that loving, committed couples have the right to be respected and protected under the law. Support for marriage equality for same-sex couples and interracial couples is at an all-time high — with vast majorities of the public supporting these policies. As many of us highlighted in our support for Marriage Equality in 2015, a patchwork of inconsistent and discriminatory state marriage laws goes against our company values and makes it harder for us to do business and to recruit and retain top talent.
This is why we support the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act. Codifying a consistent and inclusive federal standard conferred by the Loving, Windsor, and Obergefell rulings will help to ensure marriage equality, eliminate confusion for employers and enable us to retain and attract talent. No person, including same-sex couples and interracial couples protected by this bill, should fear their marriage will not be recognized by the federal government or their employment benefits threatened.
Our businesses strongly embrace diversity and inclusion because we want everyone who works for us or does business with us to feel included and welcomed as their true, authentic selves. Inclusive business practices improve our bottom lines and lead to more productive and engaged employees, increased customer satisfaction, and, ultimately, improved competitiveness and financial performance.
Our employees are the foundation of our companies – they drive our ability to successfully do business, invest in communities around the country, and create the products and services we proudly offer. As business leaders committed to inclusion and equality for our employees, their families, and the communities we serve, we call on the Senate to pass the Respect for Marriage Act.
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