Washington, D.C. — Moments ago, Republican Congressman Charlie Dent (R-PA) declared his support for civil marriage equality for committed same-sex couples in a statement to The Washington Post where he said, “Life is too short to have the force of government stand in the way of two adults whose pursuit of happiness includes marriage,” and added, “in future generations the label same-sex marriage will be abandoned, to be replaced simply by ‘marriage.'”

In response, Log Cabin Republicans National Executive Director Gregory T. Angelo stated:

Congressman Dent has long been an ally of Log Cabin Republicans — from his leadership on the Employment Non-Discrimination Act to his support for same-sex couples in immigration reform, and his stance against bullying of LGBT youth in public schools, Rep. Dent has always shown himself to be a common-sense conservative. His declaration of support today for civil marriage equality for committed same-sex couples as well as his acknowledgement of the importance of respect for religious liberty is a natural continuation of his commitment to equal rights for all Americans.