Resolution: Supporting Marriage Equality

WHEREAS, LULAC is the nation's largest and oldest Latino civil rights organization. Headquartered in Washington, DC, with 900 council around the United States and Puerto Rico, LULAC's programs, services and advocacy address the most important issues for Latinos, meeting critical needs of today and the future; and

WHEREAS, The Mission of LULAC includes the advancement of the economic condition and civil rights of the Hispanic population of the United States; and

WHEREAS, All Americans are afforded equal protection under the law, by the 14th Amendment of our nation's constitution, that prohibits states from denying any person within its jurisdiction the equal protection of the laws; and

WHEREAS, The freedom to marry has long been recognized as one of the vital personal rights essential to the orderly pursuit of happiness; and

WHEREAS, Couples who are allowed to marry are afforded 1,138 benefits, rights, and protections on the basis of marital law including access to social security survivor benefits, tax benefits, family and medical leave for domestic partners, continued health coverage, hospital visitation rights and immigration protections; and

WHEREAS, Gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender (GLBT) individuals in committed relationships are currently denied these benefits, rights, and protections because of laws that deny marriage equality including the Defense of Marriage Act; and

WHEREAS, LULAC has long welcomed GLBT individuals into our membership, and Texas LULAC recently passed a similar resolution supporting marriage equality at the Texas LULAC State Convention on June 10,2012 in San Marcos, Texas; and

WHEREAS, LULAC National has recently supported President Barack Obama's statement supporting marriage equality for same-sex couples;

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED, that LULAC supports marriage equality for all Americans, including those in the GLBT community, and opposes the denial of basic civil rights or acts of discrimination against any American and is consistent with LULAC's continuing advocacy for civil rights and protections guaranteed by the 14th Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

Approved this 30th day of June 2012.

Margaret Moran
LULAC National President