Same-sex couples now have equal marriage rights in New Hampshire, Iowa, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Vermont, Washington, D.C, New York, Maryland, Maine, Washington, Rhode Island, Delaware, and Minnesota. A handful of other states have agreed to honor these marriages. Yet the federal government still denies that these legal marriages are a fact of law, and withholds more than 1,000 federal rights, protections, benefits, and responsibilities.

The Obama administration has said that it will no longer defend the constitutionality of a federal law banning recognition of same-sex marriage. Unfortunately, Republican House Speaker Boehner indicated the House of Representatives will continue to defend DOMA in court.

The law has already been found unconstitutional by federal judges, and the U.S. Supreme Court will soon rule on a legal challenge to DOMA. Meanwhile, we must persist in speaking out against this unjust law, which demeans LGBTQ people, keeps crucial protections out of reach from loving couples, and is blatantly un-American.

Please tell your members of Congress to support crucial legislation—called the Respect for Marriage Act—that would repeal the so-called Defense of Marriage Act.

It’s time for the federal government to stand on the side of love, not exclusion!