WASHINGTON – Today, Sen. Tom Carper (D-Del.) issued the following statement after the U.S. Supreme Court issued a decision declaring the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA) unconstitutional:

“Today, the Supreme Court invalidated Section 3 of the 1996 Defense of Marriage Act. This was the right thing to do, and I believe it’s another inevitable step in the right direction toward equality for all Americans. A lot has changed in the 17 years since DOMA’s enactment, including my own views and the views of countless other Americans. The Court responded with a decision that I believe reflects our country’s new realities. Simply put, with 12 states, including Delaware, as well as the District of Columbia now allowing civil marriage for same-sex couples, DOMA had the undeniable consequence of discriminating against legally married couples. 

“Striking down Section 3 is an important step, but the work on this issue is far from complete. With over 1,000 federal benefits impacted by marriage and the rest of DOMA still on the books, Congress and the Obama Administration will need to act to provide legal certainty to married same-sex couples in Delaware and across the country. That’s why Congress must repeal DOMA in its entirety – and why I’ll be cosponsoring the Respect for Marriage Act when Senator Feinstein reintroduces it to do just that.”