Bill Clinton Endorses N.Y. Marriage

President Bill Clinton endorsed marriage equality legislation in New York as it appears increasingly likely that lawmakers will vote on the measure by June.

Clinton, a popular figure in the Democratic Party, announced his support in a statement released by the Human Rights Campaign on Thursday, saying that the goal of achieving a “more perfect union” includes marriage equality.

“Our nation’s permanent mission is to form a ‘more perfect union’ — deepening the meaning of freedom, broadening the reach of opportunity, strengthening the bonds of community,” said Clinton, a New York State resident. “That mission has inspired and empowered us to extend rights to people previously denied them. Every time we have done that, it has strengthened our nation. Now we should do it again, in New York, with marriage equality. For more than a century, our Statue of Liberty has welcomed all kinds of people from all over the world yearning to be free. In the 21st century, I believe New York’s welcome must include marriage equality.”