Washington, DC – Today, the United States Supreme Court declined to take up appeals from five states seeking to prohibit gay marriages. In response, DNC Chair Rep. Debbie Wasserman Schultz released the following statement:

“Today’s action by the Supreme Court continues the steady march of progress towards equality. In recent years, we have seen the end of the discriminatory Don’t Ask, Don’t Tell policy and last year the Supreme Court struck down DOMA. This decision brings marriage equality to couples in Indiana, Oklahoma, Utah, Virginia, and Wisconsin. It clears the way for same sex couples in Colorado, Kansas, North Carolina, South Carolina, West Virginia, and Wyoming as well.

“While this is a significant step forward for the LGBT community, there is considerable work that remains to be done. Unfortunately, marriage equality is still denied to same sex couples in several states, and some LGBT workers can still face discrimination in the workplace based on who they are or who they love. The Democratic Party is committed to ensuring that our nation continues to move in the right direction on LGBT equality.”