Supreme Court Refuses to Redefine Marriage Nationwide, Marriage Unchanged in Texas For Now

Austin, TX, June 26, 2013 – In response to the two decisions released today by the U.S. Supreme Court regarding marriage, Texas Values released the following statement:

“We are pleased that the Court did not take away the right of Texans, for now, to define marriage as between one man and one woman, as it is defined in 37 other states. In 2005, by a 76% vote, Texans voted to define marriage in our state constitution as between one man and one woman. This is current state law and it remains intact and enforceable. The dangerous nationwide effort to redefine marriage pushed by many has failed today. But make no mistake, these court decisions should serve as a wake-up call to Texans. How we define marriage and family in our laws affects virtually every aspect of society from a social and economic perspective, and Texans must continue to stand firm.

“While we are disappointed that the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a part of the federal Defense of Marriage Act (DOMA), it is clear that the states still have the right to define marriage as between one man and one woman. Marriage and family issues remain critical for our country and state, and the benefits of children being raised by a mom and a dad are just as important as ever. However, the impact of the court decision on federal law is far reaching and raises more questions than it answers,” concluded Jonathan Saenz, president of Texas Values.