Out Congressman Chris Pappas (D-NH) announced Monday on Twitter that he has married his partner Vann Bentley.
“Vann and I are excited to share that we’re married!” Pappas wrote, alongside four photos from the wedding day. “We feel so fortunate to have found each other and to be building our life together, and we’re grateful for the love and support of family and friends.”
The news comes just a few months after President Joe Biden signed the Respect for Marriage Act, which Pappas introduced. The law requires the federal and state governments to recognize same-sex and interracial marriages performed by other states.
When an amended version passed the House in December, he said in a statement, “Next year I will marry the love of my life. But if the Supreme Court heeds Justice Thomas’s call to reconsider Obergefell, our marriage won’t be recognized in all 50 states. Every American is entitled to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness, and the Respect for Marriage Act will protect spousal rights regardless of what the Court does next.”
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“We simply cannot go backward, which is why I am thrilled to see this legislation pass the House again today with a strong bipartisan vote. I am grateful that President Biden will sign this into law to protect the rights of all same-sex and interracial couples.”
Pappas was first elected to Congress in 2018 and is the first out member of Congress from New Hampshire. He announced his engagement to Bentley in 2021, tweeting that they “look forward to a lifetime of happiness and togetherness.”
In November 2022, Pappas won his bid for reelection against former Trump administration official Karoline Leavitt. He is now in his third term representing New Hampshire’s First Congressional District.
The centrist Democrat has gotten a score of 100 on HRC’s Congressional Scorecard for his previous two sessions of Congress, showing his staunch support of LGBTQ rights.
Pappas’s colleagues and supporters were thrilled at the announcement of his marriage and expressed their congratulations on Twitter.
