We are proud to share that yesterday Citi signed the Human Rights Campaign's Letter to the Senate in Support of the Respect for Marriage Act, a letter to all U.S. Senators in support of the passage of the Respect for Marriage Act – a bill that would codify into law federal protection for same-sex and interracial marriages. The Respect for Marriage Act has already passed the U.S. House of Representatives with bipartisan support and may soon be considered by the U.S. Senate.
Yesterday's actions reaffirm Citi's belief that all people have a fundamental right to equality and are another step in Citi's advocacy of marriage equality for all. Our commitment to marriage equality began in 2013, when we signed the first of two amicus briefs in landmark Supreme Court civil rights cases – United States v. Windsor, which ruled that provisions of the Defense of Marriage Act denying federal recognition of same-sex marriages was unconstitutional, and Obergefell v. Hodges, which recognized a constitutional right to same-sex marriage.
And with our recent affirmation of support for the U.S. Equality Act, as well as our signing of the HRC Business Statement Opposing Anti-LGBTQ+ State Legislation in 2021, we remain steadfast in championing and uplifting the LGBTQ+ community.
We know there's more work to do to create an environment where people of all backgrounds feel heard, seen and valued. As the world's most global bank, we are committed to celebrating all dimensions of diversity because we know it makes us more productive as a firm and more empathetic as members of society.
We encourage you all to foster space for dialogue to help us build a culture of inclusion, and with our collective support and action, we can continue to affect change at Citi and in the communities we serve.