Opposes Federal Marriage Amendment: “Had this amendment reached a final vote, I would have voted against it, because I believe that the American people deserve better than this from their leaders.” (7/14/04)
Framing marriage debate: “I think what ought to condition this debate is not the term ‘marriage’ as much as the rights that people are afforded.... I think the word ‘marriage’ kind of gets in the way of the whole debate, to be honest with you, because marriage, to many people, is obviously what is sanctified by a church.” (National Public Radio, 2/9/04)
Opposes same-sex marriage, opposes DOMA:“I will vote against [Defense of Marriage Act], though I am not for same-sex marriage, because I believe that this debate is fundamentally ugly, and it is fundamentally political, and it is fundamentally flawed.”
(1996 DOMA debate)
NOT PRESENT for vote on Federal Marriage Amendment (FMA) to define marriage as the union of “one man and one woman.” FMA defeated (S.J.Res.40, 7/14/04).
Voted NO on Marriage Penalty Act, to eliminate the marriage penalty in the tax code. Vote part of Tax Relief Reconciliation Act of 2001 (H.R.6, part of vote on H.R. 1836, 5/23/01).
CO-SPONSOR Employment Non-Discrimination Act that would “prohibit employment discrimination based on sexual orientation.” According to his Senate website, Kerry, “is an original co-sponsor of ENDA and has sponsored anti-discrimination bills every year that he has been in Congress.”
Voted YES on motion to add “sexual orientation” to the definition of hate crimes categories (Cloture motion on S.625, 6/11/02). Original sponsor of Hate Crimes Prevention bill.
Voted NO on Defense of Marriage Act to define marriage as union of “one man and one woman” and protect states from being forced to honor same-sex marriage from another state (H.R. 3396, 9/10/96).