PROVIDENCE, R.I. - In 1997, then-state Rep. David Cicilline co-sponsored a before-it's-time bill to allow same sex marriage in Rhode Island.
On Wednesday, U.S. Rep. Cicilline issued this statement after the 26-12 vote by the state Senate in favor of legislation allowing same-gender couple to marry in his home state:
"Today, the Rhode Island Senate passed legislation ending discrimination against members of the LGBT community and guaranteeing that every Rhode Islander has access to marriage. I am grateful to the members of the Senate and thank them for making Rhode Island a fairer place. Like many Rhode Islanders, I am very proud to have witnessed such a great day in the rich history of our state."
Added U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse in a separate statement: "Today's vote in the Rhode Island State Senate was a landmark civil rights victory for our state. Same-sex couples deserve the right to legally marry, and I'm proud of the Rhode Island LGBT community and their allies who fought so long to make this happen. I will continue to support this important cause on the federal level in the United States Senate."