Washington, D.C.— Senator Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, a member and former Chairman of the Senate Judiciary Committee, issued the following statement on the Supreme Court’s hearing of oral argument on the issue of same-sex marriage in Obergefell v. Hodges:
“The issue of same-sex marriage involves deeply held convictions on all sides of the debate. While I oppose discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, I do not support redefining the fundamental nature of marriage as between a man and a woman. But whatever one’s personal views on the issue, it is clear that nothing in the Constitution requires states to recognize same-sex marriage. This issue—like so many others—is rightly left to the states and the people to decide. The Supreme Court should not invent a new right to same-sex marriage at the expense of the rule of law. Instead, I hope that the Court respects the right of the American people in each state to decide this issue through the democratic process.”
