RICHMOND, Va. — Congresswoman Abigail Spanberger today released the following statement after a bipartisan majority of the Virginia House of Delegates voted to pass an amendment to enshrine marriage equality in the Virginia Constitution.

“Today, I am grateful that members of the Virginia House of Delegates voted to protect the right of every Virginian to marry the person they love and affirm Virginia’s commitment to marriage equality.

“Back in 2006, I was a newlywed when Virginia’s constitutional amendment banning same-sex marriage passed, limiting the rights of our fellow Virginians — including loved ones who had joyfully celebrated my marriage just a few months prior. In the years since, couples across Virginia have been able to enjoy the joys, challenges, and beauty of marriage thanks to the landmark 2015 Obergefell v. Hodges decision and later the 2022 Respect for Marriage Act. But families across our Commonwealth deserve more — they deserve to have the shadow of Virginia’s ban on marriage equality finally removed from Virginia’s Constitution.

“Today’s vote is an important step towards amending Virginia’s Constitution to both remove the language that has discriminated against LGBTQ couples for a generation and affirm that Virginia is a welcoming home to all families. I’d like to thank Delegate Sickles for his leadership in moving this amendment forward. I’d also like to express my gratitude to the advocates, legislators, and community leaders who have worked tirelessly to secure equal treatment and protections for all Virginians under the law and to affirm Virginia’s commitment to marriage equality.”

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Ahead of today’s vote, Spanberger spoke to the Virginia House Democratic Caucus to mark the start of the 2025 Virginia General Assembly session.

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